Realtors in Waco

Anyone acting as a real estate 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. Check a Waco agent on TREC's License Holder Lookup for an active license, any discipline, education and the sponsoring broker. Getting a sales license takes 180 classroom hours, a background check and an exam; a broker license takes four years of active experience within the past 60 months.

Texas agents owe their client a fiduciary duty. They must put your interests above all others, including their own. At the first substantive conversation about a specific property they must give you TREC's Information About Brokerage Services notice; the current form, IABS 1-2, took effect January 1, 2026. They must also provide TREC's Consumer Protection Notice, CN 1-5.

Buyer agreements in Waco

The written buyer agreement must state the services, the end date, whether it's exclusive and how the broker gets paid. Commissions are set by agreement, and TREC doesn't regulate them. If you only want to see one or two houses, a broker can show homes under a non-exclusive showing agreement of no more than 14 days without representing you. TREC can't force a broker to release you from a buyer agreement, so check the termination terms before you sign.

Texas agents must use TREC's promulgated forms. The One to Four Family Residential Contract (Resale), form 20-19, effective July 1, 2026, is the one most buyers sign. It gives you an option period: you pay an option fee for an unrestricted right to terminate within the agreed days. Earnest money and the option fee go to the escrow agent within 3 days of the effective date. If you terminate in time, you keep the earnest money but not the option fee; if you close, the fee is credited to the price.

The seller of a single-family home must give you a Seller's Disclosure Notice by the contract's effective date. If you sign without it, you can terminate for any reason within seven days after receiving it. Confirm contract questions with a licensed Texas real estate broker or attorney.

Buying a Waco landmark home

A Waco Local Historic Landmark needs a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Historic Landmark Preservation Commission before permitted exterior work, demolition, and changes such as painting, siding, windows or awnings. Homes with only state or national designation, including those in National Register districts such as Castle Heights, don't. Ask your agent which kind of designation a house carries before you plan renovations.

Texas has no state property tax. The McLennan County Appraisal District, 315 S. 26th St., Waco (254-752-9864), values Waco property as of January 1. To protest, file by May 15 or 30 days after your notice is delivered, whichever is later. Besides the county, city and school district, a bill can include special districts such as McLennan Community College District and watershed districts.

Texas appraisal districts say sale prices aren't reported to them, so an agent's sales data can help a protest. Apply for a homestead exemption at the appraisal district, generally before May 1. Under the Tax Code as amended effective November 4, 2025, school districts must exempt $140,000 of a homestead's value, plus $60,000 more for owners 65 or older or disabled. Bills are generally due by January 31, with penalties from February 1. Confirm your own exemptions and tax position with the appraisal district or a licensed tax adviser.

For context, the Texas Real Estate Research Center reports a statewide median sales price of $339,000 in July 2026, unchanged from a year earlier. That's a Texas figure; ask your agent for Waco comparables. The Texas real estate guide has more, a Waco attorney can review a contract dispute, Killeen realtors give you another market to compare, and the Waco hub covers city basics.