June 12, 2026
In This Issue:
- Lawmakers urge FTC to probe real estate referral practices
- ALTA: Congress should protect property rights, not shift title risk to consumers and lenders
- ICYMI: New Texas Regulatory Efficiency Office (TREO) soliciting feedback on several TREC rules
Lawmakers urge FTC to probe real estate referral practices
HousingWire | June 4, 2026
Two federal lawmakers are urging Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chairman Andrew Ferguson to investigate the referral practices of online real estate platforms.
In a letter sent to Chairman Ferguson last Friday, Representatives Jennifer McClellan and Donald Beyer, both Democrats from Virginia, claimed that “certain deceptive or insufficiently transparent internet advertising and solicitation practices may be steering consumers in ways that are not readily apparent.”
According to the lawmakers, in some instances these referral practices could impact a buyer’s choice of agent or lender, without any type of referral or financial relationship being disclosed to the consumers. The letter highlighted “contact agent” buttons employed by some online real estate portals that connect consumers to an agent paying the portal for leads and not the listing agent of the property the consumer is interested in.
Read more »
TLTA Editor's Note: Learn more about federal and state prohibitions of anyone giving or accepting anything of value for referrals related to or part of a settlement service involving a federally related mortgage loan on TLTA's page dedicated to this subject.
ALTA: Congress should protect property rights, not shift title risk to consumers and lenders
ALTA - Op-ed in HousingWire by Chris Morton | June 3, 2026
A home is more than a financial asset. It is where families build stability, save for the future and pass opportunity to the next generation. For many Americans, it is the largest investment they will ever make.
That investment depends on a strong, transparent system that is accountable to the people it serves. When a family buys or refinances a home, they should not have to wonder whether a forged document, recording error or act of fraud could later threaten their ownership or leave them facing costly litigation and financial loss.
Congress must pass the Protecting America’s Property Rights Act to ensure families and lenders are protected by reliable, regulated safeguards. For more than a century, title insurance has provided the strongest protection against title risk, helping safeguard property rights, lender collateral and the integrity of the housing market.
Federal housing regulators have weakened these safeguards. In recent years, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have allowed attorney opinion letters and other title insurance alternatives for certain loans and refinances. These products are often promoted as a way to lower closing costs. But removing protections does not meaningfully reduce closing costs, nor does it remove risk. It only shifts that risk to consumers, lenders and ultimately to taxpayers.
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ICYMI: New Texas Regulatory Efficiency Office (TREO) soliciting feedback on several TREC rules
TLTA | June 4, 2026
With the passage of
SB 14, the 89th Texas Legislature established the Texas Regulatory Efficiency Office (TREO), an extension of the Governor's office. TREO recommends changes in state agency rules with the goal of reducing regulatory burdens and increasing transparency for Texans.
As reported on the Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) site this week:
TREO has recently worked with TREC and identified rules it recommends be modified or repealed.
Among the recommendations are reform suggestions for continuing education sections in TREC’s portion of the administrative code regarding requirements and administration of CE. This may be of interest to our members who provide education for realtors.
Additionally, they are evaluating a realtor form related to RESPA.
TLTA is monitoring this process closely.
Stakeholders have until Sunday, June 14, to provide comments to TREC about these recommendations.
Additional analysis and insights from TREC »