Real estate agents in Odessa

Every commission in Odessa is set by agreement with the broker, and TREC doesn't regulate the amount. Since January 1, 2026, an agent working for a buyer must sign a written agreement with the buyer before showing a home. It must state the broker's pay and say, in conspicuous language, that compensation is not set by law and is fully negotiable. A broker can also show a home without representing you, under a non-exclusive showing agreement of no more than 14 days.

For a price reference, the Texas Real Estate Research Center at Texas A&M put the statewide median sale price at $339,000 in July 2026, unchanged from a year earlier. That's a Texas figure, not an Odessa one. Appraisal districts describe Texas as a non-disclosure state, where sale prices aren't reported to them, so ask your agent for market data on what nearby homes sold for. The Texas real estate guide covers fees and contracts in full.

Anyone acting as a broker or sales agent in Texas needs a TREC license. A sales agent must work under a sponsoring broker, who is responsible for the agent's work. Put the agent's name into TREC's License Holder Lookup to confirm an active license and see any discipline, education and the sponsoring broker.

At the first substantive conversation about a specific property, the agent must give you TREC's Information About Brokerage Services notice; the current form is IABS 1-2, effective January 1, 2026. Agents must also provide TREC's Consumer Protection Notice, currently CN 1-5. Under Texas rules, your agent must put your interests above everyone else's, the agent's own included.

Complaints go to TREC in writing through its REALM Portal within four years of the incident, and can't be anonymous.

Texas has no state property tax. Local governments set rates, and the appraisal district values each property as of January 1. For Odessa that means the Ector County Appraisal District at 1301 E. 8th St. (ectorcad.org) or, in the Midland County part, the Midland Central Appraisal District (midcad.org). Bills are generally due by January 31 of the following year.

Odessa homestead exemptions and protests

School districts must give a $140,000 residence homestead exemption, and owners 65 or older or disabled get an additional $60,000; both figures are from amendments effective November 4, 2025. Apply at your appraisal district, generally before May 1. A buyer who closes after January 1 may get the exemption for part of the year if the previous owner didn't have it.

To protest a value, file with the appraisal review board by May 15 or 30 days after the notice is mailed, whichever is later. Tax rules change; confirm your situation with a licensed tax adviser or real estate broker.

Texas agents must use TREC's promulgated contract forms. The resale form is 20-19, effective July 1, 2026. Under it you pay an option fee for the right to terminate for any reason within a negotiated number of days, delivering it and the earnest money to the escrow agent within 3 days of the effective date. Terminate in time and you lose the option fee but get the earnest money back.

A seller of a single-dwelling home must give you a written Seller's Disclosure Notice by the contract's effective date. If the seller signs without one, you can terminate for any reason within seven days of receiving it. Ask your agent whether a termite inspection fits inside your option period; see pest control in Odessa for what that report covers.

To compare markets, see real estate agents in Midland, and the Odessa local guide for county offices. This is general information; confirm contract questions with a licensed Texas real estate broker or lawyer.