Remind your agents that leaving an applicable blank in a contract does not mean the value is zero or the term is excluded from the contract.
Blank spaces in contracts are legally ambiguous, and if the parties can’t agree on what the blank space meant, a court would have to decide.
Emphasize to your agents that all applicable blanks and terms in a contract should be completed after careful review from the parties. Provisions that are not selected (for example, optional sections tied to unchecked boxes) do not require completion, but leaving an intended term incomplete can create uncertainty.
Remember that a mistake when filling out the contract can also lead to disagreements. If two boxes are checked when the contract requires one, which box controls?
If you or your agents have questions about TREC contracts or any of the more than 140 contracts exclusively available to members of Texas REALTORS®, you can call the Legal Hotline at 512-480-8200 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Central Monday through Friday excluding holidays.