November 26, 2025
In This Issue:
- Special Runoff Elections for Congressional District 18 and Texas Senate District 9 Will Be Held Jan. 31
- FHFA Announces Conforming Loan Limit Values for 2026
- ICYMI: Gov. Abbott Expands List of Groups Prohibited From Owning Property in Texas
- TLTA Legislative Chair Rodney Anderson Attends SB 16 Deed Fraud Bill Signing With Sen. West and Rep. Anchia
Special Runoff Elections for Congressional District 18 and Texas Senate District 9 Will Be Held Jan. 31
TLTA | Nov. 6, 2025
Last week Gov. Abbott announced that runoff elections for Houston's Congressional District 18 and Tarrant County's Texas Senate District 9 will be held Jan. 31.
The special election in CD 18 will decide who fulfills the remainder of the late Congressman Sylvester Turner's unexpired term.
Learn more here.
The special election for Texas SD 9 will determine who fulfills the unexpired term of now-Acting Comptroller Kelly Hancock.
Learn more here.
If you live in either of these communities, please make your plan to vote in the runnoff election. If you have questions about the candidates in these races and their relationship with our industry or the real estate market, please contact
TLTA Vice President of Government Affairs Aaron Day.
FHFA Announces Conforming Loan Limit Values for 2026
FHFA | Nov. 25, 2025
U.S. Federal Housing (FHFA) announced the conforming loan limit values (CLLs) for mortgages Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (the Enterprises) will acquire in 2026. In most of the United States, the 2026 CLL value for one-unit properties will be $832,750, an increase of $26,250 from 2025.
For areas in which 115 percent of the local median home value exceeds the baseline conforming loan limit value, the applicable loan limit will be higher than the baseline loan limit. HERA establishes the high-cost area limit in those areas as a multiple of the area median home value, while setting the ceiling at 150 percent of the baseline limit. Median home values generally increased in high-cost areas in 2025, which increased their CLL values. The new ceiling loan limit for one-unit properties will be $1,249,125, which is 150 percent of $832,750.
Learn more »
ICYMI: Gov. Abbott Expands List of Groups Prohibited From Owning Property in Texas
TLTA | Nov. 20, 2025
Last week Gov. Abbott issued a proclamation expanding the list of organizations prohibited from acquiring any real property interest in Texas.
Read Gov. Abbott's press release »
Read the proclamation »
Under the terms of this prohibition, TLTA members are not deputized to enforce the law, conduct extensive due diligence, or face new liability.
This authority was given to the governor via passage of SB 17 during the regular legislative session earlier this year.
Learn more about SB 17 »
TLTA Legislative Chair Rodney Anderson Attends SB 16 Seller Impersonation Fraud Bill Signing With Sen. West and Rep. Anchia
TLTA | Nov. 19, 2025
Sen. Royce West, who authored the seller impersonation fraud bill supported by TLTA that went into effect Sept.1, gathered with bill sponsor Rep. Rafael Anchia and other dignitaries for a ceremonial bill signing to celebrate the
passage of SB 16. To help commemorate the event, TLTA Legislative Committee Chair Rodney Anderson attended the signing, as did Dallas County District Clerk John Warren, who led the Texas District Clerks Association as they helped secure this win in the ongoing fight to address deed fraud.
Rep. Rafael Anchia, Sen. Royce West, Dallas County DA John Warren, and TLTA Legislative Committee Chair Rodney Anderson attended the ceremonial singing of SB 16 in Dallas Nov. 13
TLTA worked to expand SB 16 into a bill that would create a new specific offense for seller impersonation fraud. In recent years, seller impersonation fraud has plagued the title industry and resulted in claims including full policy loses. TLTA hopes this new criminal statute will encourage prosecution for seller impersonation fraud and ultimately help stop this growing threat.