August 18, 2015
Tuesday’s Regulatory & Legislative Round-Up
- The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has launched an Online Guide for Real Estate Professionals to understand their obligations under the new “Know Before You Owe” mortgage disclosure rules, which become effective October 3, 2015. The Know Before You Owe mortgage initiative is designed to empower consumers with the information they need to make informed mortgage choices. It includes the implementation of the TILA-RESPA (Truth in Lending Act – Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act) Integrated Disclosure rule. The new rule primarily does two things, first it consolidates some of the disclosures that must be made unto fewer forms and second it changes the timing of certain activities in the mortgage lending process.
- Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have announced an auction of Non-Performing Loans (NPLs) in the amount of 1.2 billion and provided details for bidder pre-qualification and servicer requirements. The reasons for the program are fourfold: 1. reduce illiquid assets, 2. encourage broad investor participation; 3. consider borrower outcomes; 4. a well controlled transparent process.
- The New York City Council has passed three Tenant Buyout Bills which were designed to protect tenants from landlords who want them out of rent stabilized apartments.
- The Bills are: Intro 682 – buyout offered in a threatening manner are an act of harassment. This includes untoward language, odd hour contact, frequent contact, and abusive contact.
- Intro 700 – requirement of a writing to memorialize the buyout offer, this writing must include important facts including the tenant’s right to seek legal representation and the right to refuse.
- Intro 757 – Bars repeated buyout offers by making such behavior a form of harassment when the tenant has indicated she/he is not interested.
