Texas Seller and Listing Representation: A–Z Agent Workflow

Go to remax.workspace.lwolf.com and sign in with your RE/MAX Universal credentials. This is the platform where RE/MAX Universal agents submit documents and contracts for CDA (compliance/document review) and broker commission requests.

From the top navigation, click Transact. This is where every transaction file is created, tracked, and submitted — the transaction desk for the brokerage.

On the Transact screen, click the Action button (top right), then choose Add Transaction to start a new file.

Choose the category that matches the transaction. For a standard listing, select Residential. You can change this later if needed.

Choose Sale or Sale Listing as the transaction type. This tells the system which checklist and document set applies.

Choose where you are in the deal: Start (early representation — recommended), Showing, Contract, Pre-Closing, or Post-Closing. For a brand-new listing file, choose Start.

Indicate whether you represent the Buyer or the Seller. For this workflow, select Seller.

Under "Who is the Seller?" click + Select Client. Re-use an existing contact if one exists. If the client is new, click Add New Contact and enter First Name, Last Name, Company, Email, and Phone (check "No email address available" if none).

Review the summary (category, type, phase, side, client), then click Create New Transaction. The file is now open and assigned a reference number — record it in your CRM.

On the new transaction dashboard, tabs with orange badges need attention first: upload the initial listing paperwork, then move ahead to the Showing phase when ready. The timeline (Start → Showing → Contract → Pre-Closing → Post-Closing) tracks where the file sits.

In Matrix, hover over the Add/Edit menu and click Matrix Add/Edit (or click the menu directly). Click Add New to begin a new listing.

Select single-family, townhome, or the matching class. Any property for rent or lease goes into the Rental class — regardless of whether it is a condo, townhome, or single-family home.

Default is tax records. You can also copy from an existing listing (useful for a relisted/expired property, including importing its photos), or start blank. Importing from a reliable source is often more accurate than typing everything by hand.

County defaults to Harris — change it if needed. In the right-hand column enter the owner's first/last name, street number, street name, or a combination. Address is usually easiest since legal names on tax records can vary. Click Search.

Confirm the owner name matches your seller and the property is correct. Click Fill to import the tax-record data into MLS — most of it appears on later tabs, not this screen.

Choose Active or Coming Soon. Coming Soon lasts a maximum of 14 days — if no action is taken it automatically goes to Withdrawn. You can manually move it to Active before the 14 days end. There is no minimum period.

Yellow = required. Complete every yellow field plus any other information you can accurately provide. If a required field like Section Number does not apply, enter zero. "Also for Lease" and "Priced at Lot Value" are also required.

Validate flags missed fields on the current tab and missing required fields on other tabs across the top. One click checks the entire listing. Click it as often as needed — before you publish you may still have missed a few items.

On the Map tab the latitude/longitude fields are required. Click "Get Lat/Long from Address" to populate them and plot the property. If the map is wrong, call 713-629-1900 and ask for the MLS or Quality Assurance department — do not make a listing active with an incorrect map.

Tabs do not have to be done in order — just complete all required fields on each. Identify the correct source for square footage (e.g., appraisal district if imported from tax). Answer No to new construction when applicable — the related description field then becomes not required.

You are responsible for measuring the rooms. If tax records show three bedrooms, the system expects three bedrooms and their dimensions. Start with the primary bedroom (e.g., 24×24), click More to add each additional bedroom, then add livable spaces (den, breakfast, living, dining, study).

Mark relevant disclosures: agent-owner, pre-foreclosure/REO, seller's disclosure available, short sale. Complete other relevant fields such as affordable housing or maintenance fees. Enter verified information whether required or optional.

The appointment-desk phone number is what agents see in Matrix to schedule appointments. Select a relevant showing-instruction option (required). For driving directions, explain how to get to the property from the closest major road or highway — helpful to someone who has never been there.

Public Remarks: up to 1,000 characters, public on HAR.com and distributed sites — physical descriptions only, no phone numbers, emails, or contact info. Agent Remarks: up to 550 characters, for agent-oriented info like gate codes. Add Virtual Tour Link 1 and 2 (public), plus any property-specific webpage or listing-site URLs in the right fields.

If you need to pause (e.g., still need to measure rooms), click Save as Incomplete — you can do this at any time and it assigns an MLS number you can use for marketing. If ready to go live, click Submit Listing. To add photos before publishing, save as incomplete first.

Refer to MLS rules for the minimum number of photos and upload deadline. Dimensions in this tutorial: 2,040×1,536. You can import photos from a previous listing (e.g., an expired relist, or a sale/rental pair). Maximum is 50 photos — rules vary by property class. Add a description to each photo — not required, but strongly recommended, especially for vacant homes where empty rooms look alike.

Optional but helpful — e.g., upload the seller's disclosure so buyer agents can download it. Cumulative max 30 MB. Use the dropdown to mark a document agent-only or public. Public material cannot contain phone numbers, emails, or contact info — check floor plans and photos for names, signs, or contact details.

Use Continue Editing (lower-left) to pick up where you left off. When everything is complete, click Submit Listing to make it active — photos, attachments, and text go live together. You can Save as Incomplete more than once; MLS deadlines tied to the listing agreement still apply.

From Add/Edit choose Edit a Listing. Select the property from the dropdown or enter the MLS number; you can filter by Active, Coming Soon, or Incomplete, or search by address. To edit text fields, choose the property-class Add/Edit option (e.g., Single Family Add/Edit). Active listings show additional options.

After Submit Listing, the listing appears on HAR.com within about two hours. Distribution to other websites takes roughly 24 hours. Your broker controls distribution and IDX participation — ask your broker or office staff where your listings are sent and whether the brokerage syndicates to additional sites.

Ask why the owner is considering selling, where the property is, and whether there is a target move date. Save a dated intake note. Friendship does not replace professional boundaries or verification.

Determine whether another broker has a listing agreement, protection period, or unresolved commission claim. Do not advise the seller to breach an existing agreement.

Check that you are authorized through your sponsoring broker and can competently handle this property and location. Identify a mentor and after-hours backup.

At the first substantive communication concerning specific real property, provide the notice unless an exception applies. Retain delivery evidence — it is not the listing agreement.

Record who contacted you, claimed ownership, occupancy, and a reliable contact method. Save verification steps securely, not identification copies in a public marketing folder.

Ask about co-owners, marriage, divorce, trusts, entities, estates, and powers of attorney. Title/counsel determines legal signing requirements.

Ask about relocation, next-home purchase, lease commitments, and possession needs. Distinguish a desired closing date from a required move-out date.

Ask for approximate mortgages, HELOCs, liens, delinquent taxes/HOA amounts, and cash needed for the next move. Do not promise a net figure from estimates.

Confirm resale, condo, acreage, manufactured home, tenant occupancy, new construction, or inherited property. Identify which special-situation branch applies.

Send the appointment time, agenda, and document request. Open the CRM record, secure folder, task list, and communication log.

Review property records, prior MLS history, and apparent taxing/association information. Flag discrepancies for verification rather than copying an old agent's description.

Plan to cover goals, condition, pricing evidence, net proceeds, preparation, marketing, fees, showings, disclosures, offers, contract risks, and moving.

Ask what matters most: proceeds, speed, certainty, convenience, privacy, or timing. Rank priorities and save them in writing.

Observe drainage, roof issues, foundation clues, and access. Save factual observations — a walkthrough is not a structural or engineering inspection.

Record layout, apparent condition, odors/moisture, system ages as reported, and unfinished work. Distinguish the seller's statement from your verified fact.

Request dates, invoices, permits, warranties, and contractor information. Identify unresolved issues, not just successful upgrades.

Discuss fixtures, mounted TVs, curtains, chandeliers, and appliances. Resolve sentimental exclusions before photography and offers.

Explain representation, confidentiality, honest dealings, and limits of your expertise. Explain intermediary possibilities if your brokerage may also represent a buyer.

Walk through preparation, launch, showings, offer evaluation, execution, buyer investigation, financing/title, repairs, closing, and possession.

Summarize missing facts, pricing work, and consultation follow-up. If the seller is not ready to hire you, do not launch marketing without authority.

Prioritize relevant location, property type, size, age, and condition. Separate closed-sale evidence from active asking prices — do not promise an appraisal result.

Compare active alternatives, pending activity, withdrawn/expired listings, and time on market. Ask why a buyer would choose this property at the proposed price.

Identify how repairs, system age, layout, and flood concerns influence buyer demand. Use evidence instead of automatic price-per-square-foot adjustments.

Explain a supported value range and possible negotiation outcomes. Do not promise an inflated price simply to obtain the listing.

Compare present condition versus cleaning, repairs, staging, or larger improvements. Discuss probability and convenience, not just resale benefit.

Estimate price, loan/HELOC payoff, commissions, buyer concessions, title/escrow costs, taxes, and repairs. Label assumptions and dates.

Compare realistic lower/middle/higher outcomes and different concession structures. Include holding costs when comparing offers against an uncertain later price.

If estimated proceeds may not clear obligations, involve title, broker, and lender/servicer. Do not advertise a routine sale while ignoring a known payoff gap.

Agree when to review showings, feedback, and new competition. Avoid automatic price cuts without actual seller authorization.

Record the authorized price and strategy using the listing agreement. If the seller demands misleading claims, obtain broker direction before continuing.

Use the broker-approved form suited to the property and services. TREC does not promulgate the standard listing agreement.

Reconcile seller identity and title questions before accepting signatures as sufficient. Have title/counsel resolve authority uncertainty.

Review commencement, expiration, exclusive-right-to-sell, exclusions, and any protection period. Do not call it a cancellable trial unless the agreement says so.

Review photography, marketing, inquiry handling, showings, and offer review. Clarify what is included and what happens if the listing ends unsold.

Explain amount/rate, when earned, when payable. Compensation is negotiable — never call a rate required by law, HAR, or the market.

In current 20-19, buyer-expense concessions and brokerage contributions have separate provisions. Save the authorized arrangement and updated net estimate.

Texas REALTORS revised the residential listing form in June 2026, including broker-to-broker compensation. Use the actual current agreement.

Review MLS submission, signs, lockbox, photography, and open houses. "Coming soon" is not an informal exemption from rules.

Review intermediary consent, personal/property interests, and referral agreements. Give required disclosures at the proper time.

Check signatures, dates, term, price, fees, legal description, and exclusions. Send the seller copies and set listing-expiration/MLS clocks.

Evaluate the transaction under Property Code Section 5.008. A seller who never lived there is not automatically exempt.

Explain questions and request answers from their own knowledge. Do not choose favorable answers or sign for them.

Check unanswered questions, inconsistent selections, and missing explanations. A signed form does not excuse honest responses to a known defect.

Ask about prior flooding, water penetration, and drainage repairs. Do not reduce "water entered the house" to an unsupported "minor drainage issue."

Ask about foundation movement, roof leaks, plumbing failures, and pests. "Repaired" and "never happened" are different answers.

For 20-19, review Paragraph 7I's conditions — the standard seller-disclosure exemption does not automatically resolve this form.

For covered pre-1978 housing, provide known lead information, the approved pamphlet, and required disclosures before the buyer becomes obligated.

Identify HOA/condo obligations, MUD/special district notices, and other property-specific notices. Some are due before execution.

Obtain tenant leases, solar/fixture contracts, and transferable warranties. "Paid off at closing" must be feasible and documented.

Separate buyer-facing records from private seller financial information. Never hide a report or known defect to make a relisted property easier to sell.

Create a written list separating safety/active damage, needed maintenance, cleaning, and cosmetic improvement, with cost/time/benefit.

Explain cost, scope, and the possibility of discovering information that must be disclosed. Do not describe an inspection as a way to avoid disclosure.

Encourage licensing/insurance checks, written scope, and warranty. Cheap incomplete work can create more inspection objections.

Identify who can authorize work and spending. Avoid ordering additional services without authorization.

Obtain invoices, permits, and warranties. Do not guarantee engineering or workmanship you cannot evaluate.

Recommend clearing surfaces and storage overload. Remove medications, financial papers, and valuables from view.

Use furniture and lighting to make the layout understandable. Do not obstruct known damage or conceal a material condition.

Address yard care, visible address, safe pathways, and pool barriers. Cosmetic improvements should not hide drainage or boundary problems.

Discuss lockbox access, cameras/audio devices, and showing safety. Refer recording/consent questions to broker/counsel.

Check cleaning, bulbs, repairs, staging, and unfinished work. Confirm permission to photograph all spaces.

List important spaces, improvements, and outdoor features. Define intended deliverables: photos, floor plan, video, aerials, and virtual tour.

Use written vendor terms covering your intended publication. Do not copy a previous agent's photographs because the seller paid someone years ago.

Use a qualified drone operator who confirms legal authority and airspace. Do not treat a marketing floor plan as a survey.

Require accurate depiction of the property. Do not remove defects, imply completed repairs, or relocate boundaries deceptively.

Have the broker check each proposed edited image against HAR Rule 1.25.1 before upload. Distinguish furniture staging from changes to real property.

Explain spaces and their usefulness in clear language. Avoid unsupported "never flooded," "fully remodeled," or income claims.

Identify the space, a visible feature, and its practical benefit. Do not use captions to insert prohibited transaction promotions.

Describe the property rather than a preferred type of occupant. Avoid protected-class preferences and steering language.

Check agent/broker names, registered team names, and required prominence. Do not assume one exported file belongs everywhere.

Ask the seller to flag inaccuracies and excluded items. Seller approval does not excuse a misleading advertisement.

Confirm the listing term, readiness, chosen status, and publication dates. Signs and social teasers can start compliance obligations early.

Explain the exposure tradeoff and use the current lawful local route. Do not promise an informal pocket listing without checking requirements.

Determine legal ownership type and physical configuration. An incorrect class can distort buyer searches and comparable analysis.

Cross-check address, parcel, legal description, price, room counts, and living area/source. Record discrepancies instead of choosing the largest number.

Verify association dues, transfer fees, tax information, and flood-related selections. Use verification procedures rather than guessing.

Keep sensitive security, identity, and occupant information out of public descriptions. Use the proper location for showing instructions.

Use approved off-MLS documentation for any compensation offer. Do not disguise compensation as a caption or attachment.

Review the full listing as an agent and as a consumer: location, price, photos, map, tour, and documents. Fix errors at the originating source.

Activate the proper MLS status and approved signs, website, and social campaigns. Record channels, dates, and responsible person.

Check the listing and authorized feeds after launch. Tell the seller how appointments, inquiries, and weekly reports will work.

Set notice time, appointment windows, occupancy, and alarm/access process. Avoid unnecessarily restrictive rules that frustrate buyers.

Use brokerage-approved lockbox procedures and control backup keys. Never share subscriber credentials.

Provide a short checklist for lights, temperature, valuables, and pets. Explain whether requests require approval.

TREC Rule 535.157 generally requires responses within two calendar days — that does not permit waiting when a contract deadline is sooner.

Clearly disclose seller representation and avoid acting as the buyer's advocate. Assistance is not permission to advise both sides against each other.

Determine whether the host is in the listing brokerage. An outside-brokerage host has different written-agreement/IABS requirements.

Use the approved sign-in process and protect seller belongings. Do not disclose seller motivation or minimum price.

Ask agents about buyer fit and price perception. Do not hide negative feedback merely because the seller may be disappointed.

Document missed appointments, unlocked doors, or suspected damage. Do not accuse someone without evidence.

Review appointment volume, denied requests, and disruption. Adjust procedures with authorization while remaining compliant.

Report verified showings, inquiries, offers, and marketing activity. Impressions and video views are not the same as qualified buyer interest.

Track new listings, pendings, closed prices, and withdrawals. A CMA prepared before preparation work may be stale by launch.

Review price, presentation, condition, access, and distribution. Identify which factors the seller can actually change.

Recalculate likely proceeds for price changes, incentives, and repairs. Date each version and retain the previous one.

Use the appropriate signed amendment. A discussion of a possible reduction is not authorization to publish it.

If repairs, staging, or condition changes, revise the affected records and marketing. Do not leave an image that now misrepresents the property.

Clarify whether the seller wants a marketing pause, changed access, or termination. Switching off a listing does not automatically end the agreement.

Investor assignments, subject-to financing, and seller financing require specialized review. Do not advertise a fast cash exit without understanding risk.

Contact the seller before expiration to review results. Do not assume an automatic continuation.

Summarize evidence, costs, and reasonable alternatives: continue, adjust, improve, pause, or end. Invite broker involvement if expectations have diverged.

Store the full package, sender, date/time, and missing attachments. Confirm receipt without suggesting acceptance.

Convey material information needed for seller decisions. Do not suppress an offer because of your compensation or personal preferences.

Verify parties, signatures, price, financing, deposits, and addenda. Identify outdated or inappropriate forms.

Clarify lender review, program, and realistic timing. Do not rank buyers using protected characteristics.

Calculate proposed credits, contributions, repairs, and likely seller expenses. The highest headline price may not be the strongest net result.

Review option days/fee, financing and appraisal provisions, and deposits. Do not treat a large earnest deposit as automatically nonrefundable protection.

Can title clear, repairs finish, and the seller move on time? An excellent offer can still be a poor fit if the seller cannot meet its obligations.

Get seller direction on permitted disclosures about competing offers. Do not invent competing interest.

Use a consistent offer grid based on terms and feasibility. Never advise choosing buyers based on protected characteristics.

Document accept, reject, counter, or request clarification. Explain any expiring opportunity without coercing the seller.

Identify essential terms and acceptable alternatives. Model both net proceeds and practical timing.

Use Appendix B's review map. Do not focus only on price and signatures.

Complete promulgated forms and use approved addenda. An AI-generated clause is not attorney approval.

Compare listing agreement, any separate compensation arrangement, and Paragraph 12. Avoid asking the seller to pay the same obligation twice.

Specify closing/funding possession or a proper written lease. Do not accept "seller can stay a few days" as a complete arrangement.

Track which draft is outstanding. Do not sign or initial for a seller without valid reviewed authority.

Get broker/counsel guidance before accepting another primary contract while one may exist.

Confirm necessary signatures and communication of acceptance. Do not backdate.

Send authorized copies to seller, buyer's agent, and title/escrow. Title cannot resolve an omitted addendum it never received.

Explain access/utilities, disclosure delivery, and title cooperation. Do not celebrate as though closing is already assured.

Extract each obligation from the actual signed contract and addenda. The seller's delivery clocks matter as much as the buyer's option deadline.

Use the correct local status and deadline. Automatic system changes do not replace agent supervision.

Verify actual earnest money and option fee receipt. Do not announce automatic cancellation without reviewing the relevant facts and form.

Help the seller respond to title's identity, authority, and payoff requests through verified secure channels.

Have title coordinate authorized mortgage/HELOC and tax payoff requirements. A mortgage statement balance is not necessarily the payoff amount.

Track seller's disclosure, water disclosure, and required notices. Partial delivery may not start the expected review clock.

Coordinate inspections reasonably and keep required utilities operational. Moving early does not automatically end these obligations.

If permitted, continue appropriate marketing and present offers under applicable duties. A backup cannot be treated as an unconditional second primary sale.

Maintain an issue list for inspections, disclosures, and financing. Send updates even when the news is "waiting on a verified item."

Check distribution, accepted dates, deposits, and MLS status. Resolve missing items before they become closing-week surprises.

Confirm appointments, utilities, and access to attic/panels. Inaccessible areas can require repeat visits and hurt negotiations.

Obtain separate written seller authorization required for hydrostatic testing under 20-19. Address scope and damage risk.

Ask for the specific concern and requested response. Do not dismiss a defect because the seller has lived with it for years.

"As Is" does not mean "no inspections or negotiations." A report does not automatically obligate the seller to repair every item.

Have appropriate professionals evaluate significant disputed items. Do not ask a contractor to minimize an issue for negotiation.

Explain effects on net, timing, and future marketability if the buyer leaves. Credits need lender/title compatibility.

Identify accepted items, declined items, and response timing. Get counsel for legal admissions or releases.

Use the proper form with sufficient detail for scope and timing. Avoid vague "fix everything" promises.

Monitor notices and the actual deadline without assuming negotiations extend it. Never ignore a termination notice because it is unwelcome.

Separate contract termination from escrow disposition and listing status. Review new condition knowledge before accepting a replacement buyer.

Track liens, ownership/authority, and release requirements. Discovering an unreleased lien early creates options.

Provide the existing survey plus the required affidavit/declaration, or arrange a new survey. Do not assume an old survey reflects later additions.

Record receipt and review permitted objections and cure/election periods. A phone conversation with title is not automatically a contractual cure.

Track ordered documents, fees, and violations. A dues autopayment does not prove there are no outstanding assessments.

Provide access and verified improvements/comparables. Do not pressure for a value or promise the price will appraise.

Review the actual financing/appraisal provisions and lender requirements. The seller need not reflexively reduce price.

Obtain authorized status updates about approval milestones. A preapproval letter is not a funding guarantee.

Coordinate trades, permits, and transferable warranties. A seller's handyman may not meet the required qualification.

Notify appropriate parties about new storm, fire, or flood damage. Do not assume an insurance claim automatically preserves the sale.

Review buyer readiness, title clearance, repairs, and possession together. Identify any needed written extension early.

Create the current closing summary: price, contributions, fees, repairs, and notices. Do not rely on the original contract after amendments change the economics.

Compare price, payoffs, fees, commissions, and prorations. Ask title to explain each discrepancy.

Confirm title has current amounts and wire requirements. Do not tell the seller to stop mortgage payments merely because closing is scheduled.

Have title explain taxes, dues, and credits. Refer tax consequences to a qualified professional.

Verify acceptable identification and required signers. A relative cannot simply attend and sign because the seller is unavailable.

Have the seller submit and verify disbursement instructions through title's trusted process. Independently confirm unexpected changes.

Schedule movers and cleaning. Recheck exclusions against the contract before removing attached items.

Align cancellations/transfers with actual contract obligations. Cancellation too early can leave a seller uninsured.

Gather remotes, codes, manuals, and warranties. Avoid sharing personal account passwords when an ownership-transfer procedure exists.

Check title/lender clearance, repairs, and possession plan. Explain that signing, funding, and possession may occur at different times.

Confirm access, utilities, and agreed condition. Allow time to correct an issue before signing.

Document the claimed problem and compare with contract and prior evidence. Do not promise a legal interpretation.

Obtain a proper signed amendment when terms change. Do not create undisclosed cash-back or repair side deals.

Attend or remain available. Do not say "just sign" when the seller identifies an unexplained discrepancy.

Obtain authoritative confirmation from title/escrow. Do not infer funding from signed papers or a bank screenshot.

Have the seller verify receipt through trusted channels. Protect private account details.

Coordinate keys/remotes after applicable closing/funding conditions. Do not release early access merely because a moving truck has arrived.

Verify cameras, locks, and connected systems are transferred appropriately. Confirm without retaining the buyer's new credentials.

Apply sold reporting requirements after actual completion. Remove or update signs, lockboxes, and active ads.

Track rent, deposit, and required notices until completed. The commission being paid does not finish the occupancy workstream.

Ask about proceeds, access, and any remaining contractual item. Do not promise the seller has no further obligations simply because a deed has been signed.

Help the seller contact title or the servicer about missing releases. Confirm whether a notice reflects delay, a genuine balance, or an error.

Provide the listing agreement, executed documents, disclosures, and settlement information securely.

Suggest the seller consult a tax professional regarding basis, gain, and reporting. A net sheet is not tax advice.

Ask what was clear, confusing, or stressful. Obtain consent before publicizing photos, names, or sale details.

Review disbursement against authorized agreements and referral arrangements. Resolve errors through the broker.

Preserve required records for the applicable retention period — TREC generally requires at least four years from closing.

Review pricing advice, marketing accuracy, and negotiation choices. A funded sale can still reveal a weak process.

Check leaseback, deposit accounting, and tax-proration follow-up. "Closed" should not make these tasks disappear from the calendar.

Offer a future check-in or local market update suited to the seller's preferences. Respect communication and marketing requirements.