Contracts

    Termination-Option Period

    A negotiated period in the TREC residential contract during which the buyer may terminate for any reason, in exchange for an option fee.

    The termination-option period is a distinctly Texas contract feature. In the TREC residential contract, the buyer may pay a negotiated option fee for the unrestricted right to terminate the contract for any reason within a negotiated number of days. During this period the buyer commonly conducts inspections and decides whether to proceed.

    The option fee and the number of days are negotiated between the parties, not fixed by TREC. If the buyer terminates within the option period, the buyer recovers the earnest money under the contract terms.

    On the exam

    The termination-option period lets the buyer terminate for any reason within the negotiated days, in exchange for the option fee. The fee and the days are negotiated, not set by TREC.

    Exam trap

    The option fee and the option period are negotiated between the parties. TREC does not fix the amount or the number of days.

    From definition to recall

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    This definition is Texas real estate exam-prep education, not legal, tax, or professional advice. Verify current rules against the official source before relying on them for a real transaction. Back to the full glossary.