TAREI letter about Texas HB3250

[BADAIR]

I may be shot for posting this but, OH WELL!

P.O. Box 90745 • AUSTIN, TEXAS 78709-0745

512/370-1977• 800/241-1977• FAX: 512/370-2702

April 21, 2007

Re: Legislative Alert HB3250/SB914

Inspectors of Texas,

HB3250 and its companion Bill SB914, will eliminate the TREC Inspector Committee (IC) under SECTION 52 (Page 35 in Word version) that repeals the Texas Occupation Code 1102 (b-d).

I am on record with the 2006 Sunset Hearings recommending for the Inspectors in Texas be placed on a separate Board and opposing the elimination of the IC. We also had public comment from Mr. Ron Walker with the Texas Association of Realtors (TAR) opposing the recommendation for removal of the IC. (See Page 22 of the Sunset Commission Decisions 8/06).

One must look at the historical significance in order to understand the potential ramifications with the elimination of the IC. The 1990 Sunset Review recommended the Inspectors be removed from The Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) and placed over to TDLR. Why would Sunset make this recommendation? The Sunset recommendation was simply due to the obvious conflicts of interest for the Consumers of real property in Texas. TREC is the only state regulated program that represents both opposing views under one licensing and regulation entity. The only non-biased advocate that the Buyers of real property in Texas have thru a transaction is the Real Estate Inspector.

Does the Public Member appointed in the TREC Commission represent the Buyer? No. They represent the “industryâ€