New consumer protections coming in 2011
Keywords: Human Hand, Mortgage Document, Residential Structure, House, Real Estate Agent, Real Estate, Moving House ( iStock) For Jessica Randklev. ltc Credit: ISTOCK/iStock
It’s a fresh year but the mortgage mess remains, so several new laws will kick in under the ongoing cleanup. A look at changes for 2011:
- Loan officers in federally-chartered institutions, which include the major banks, must register in the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System, a way for consumers to track their records. Effective Jan. 31.
- Lenders are barred from paying mortgage brokers for bringing a more profitable loan, such as one with a higher interest rate. The pay was known as “yield spread premium.” Effective April 1.
- The new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau reviews mortgages, bank fees and other financial products. Effective July 21.
- New limits allow bankruptcy filers in New York State to take up to $150,000 in home equity exemption instead of $50,000. Many borrowers facing foreclosure didn’t want to file bankruptcy because they feared the bankruptcy judge would order their homes sold to pay off some debt. Starts Jan. 22.
-Bankruptcy filers in the state can choose between going under exemption limits set by the federal government or by the state. Starts Jan. 22.
