Basically, RESPA and Regulation X apply to loans secured by a first mortgage on the residential real property purchased with the loan proceeds.
RESPA, along with other regulatory guidelines, is designed to help protect homebuyers and existing homeowners from unfair practices when dealing with real estate agents, brokers, lenders and affiliated companies. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. "CFPB Consumer Laws and Regulations," Page 3-4.
RESPA also governs the form of closing documents that can be used. The purpose of the law is to protect homebuyers from being deceived and buying a house that is dangerous or uninhabitable. RESPA does not apply to commercial real estate transactions.
The following transactions are not covered by RESPA: An all-cash sale; • A sale where the individual home seller takes back the mortgage; and • Business, Commercial, or Agricultural purpose loans. RESPA requires disclosures to be given to applicants for a federally related mortgage loan.
Commercial or Business Loans
Normally, loans secured by real estate for a business or agricultural purpose are not covered by RESPA. However, if the loan is made to an individual to purchase or improve a rental property of one to four residential units, then it is regulated by RESPA.
RESPA does not apply to extensions of credit to government or governmental agencies or instrumentalities. It also does not apply to extensions of credit primarily for business, commercial, or agricultural purposes. 12 USC § 2606. Regulation X, 12 CFR § 1024.5 provides additional limits on the coverage of RESPA.
The Act requires lenders, mortgage brokers, or servicers of home loans to provide borrowers with pertinent and timely disclosures regarding the nature and costs of the real estate settlement process. The Act also prohibits specific practices, such as kickbacks, and places limitations upon the use of escrow accounts.
The TILA-RESPA rule applies to most closed-end consumer credit transactions secured by real property, but does not apply to: HELOCs; • Reverse mortgages; or • Chattel-dwelling loans, such as loans secured by a mobile home or by a dwelling that is not attached to real property (i.e., land).
NAR's Legal Affairs staff explains the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) and how it affects REALTORS®. RESPA generally prohibits kickbacks and offering a thing of value in exchange for the referral of business to a settlement service provider.
The new rules, which would modify RESPA and Regulation X's existing mortgage servicing framework, are designed to streamline the process for obtaining mortgage assistance, and incentivize servicers to prioritize borrower aid over foreclosure.
RESPA is designed to protect borrowers from situations that may arise during the mortgage loan process. It requires lenders to disclose necessary financial information so consumers can make an informed home-buying decision. It also eliminates kickbacks and limits the use of escrow accounts.
CFPB considers a RESPA violation when the costs of services for a third party closing or services rendered are inflated. For example: Mortgage brokers are prohibited from charging a buyer for a credit report at closing more than what the mortgage broker paid to obtain the credit report.
RESPA prohibits a real estate broker or agent from receiving a “thing of value” for referring business to a settlement service provider, or SSP, such as a mortgage banker, mortgage broker, title company, or title agent.
RESPA does not require lenders to impose an escrow account on borrowers; however, certain government loan programs or lenders may require escrow accounts as a condition of the loan. RESPA also prohibits a lender from charging excessive amounts for the escrow account.
RESPA Application
RESPA via HUD's Regulation X Section 3500.2 defines application as follows: “Application means the submission of a borrower's financial information in anticipation of a credit decision, whether written or computer-generated, relating to a federally related mortgage loan.
The Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) is applicable to all “federally related mortgage loans,” except as provided under 12 CFR 1024.5(b) and 1024.5(d), discussed below.
According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's final rule, the creditor must deliver the Closing Disclosure to the consumer at least three business days prior to the date of consummation of the transaction.
An application is defined as the submission of six pieces of information: (1) the consumer's name, (2) the consumer's income, (3) the consumer's Social Security number to obtain a credit report (or other unique identifier if the consumer has no Social Security number), (4) the property address, (5) an estimate of the ...
Final answer: RESPA applies to a variety of real estate transactions but generally does not apply to a seller-financed loan when the seller does not regularly extend credit. It covers transactions such as condominium purchases, second mortgages, and federally-insured loans.
RESPA generally applies to federally related mortgage loans, including those made by banks or other entities like an FHA loan, and loans insured by the FDIC. However, it does not apply to loans for properties of more than four units, nor to commercial or business loans.
RESPA is a federal law that requires lenders to provide information about the settlement costs and services involved in a mortgage transaction. The TILA-RESPA Integrated Disclosure (TRID) rule requires two forms: the Loan Estimate and the Closing Disclosure.
Transactions generally not covered under RESPA include: “an all cash sale, a sale where the individual home seller takes back the mortgage, a rental property transaction or other business purpose transaction.” “The sale of a loan after the original funding of the loan at settlement is a secondary market transaction.
The act requires lenders, mortgage brokers, or servicers of home loans to provide borrowers with pertinent and timely disclosures regarding the nature and costs of the real estate settlement process. The act also prohibits specific practices, such as kickbacks, and places limitations upon the use of escrow accounts.
Small servicers are exempt from certain rules that larger servicers must follow, such as about how they provide billing statements and contact you about your loan. Also, the rule about whether or not a servicer can charge you for home insurance you didn't choose applies differently to small servicers.