Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act of 1974

Summary

Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act - Expresses the findings of Congress and declares that the purpose of this Act is to effect specified changes in the settlement process for residential real estate. Defines the terms used in this Act. Directs the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, in consultation with the Administrator of Veterans' Affairs, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and the Federal Home Loan Bank Board, to develop and prescribe a standard form for the statement of settlement costs which shall be used as the standard real estate settlement form in all transactions in the United States which involve federally related mortgage loans. Requires such form to conspicuously and clearly itemize the charges imposed upon both the borrower and the seller in connection with the settlement. Directs the Secretary to prepare and distribute special booklets to help persons borrowing money to finance the purchase of residential real estate to better understand the nature and costs of real estate settlement services. Requires lenders to provide the booklet to each person from whom it receives an application to borrow money to finance the purchase of residential real estate. Requires lenders agreeing to make a federally related mortgage loan to provide to the prospective borrower, and to any officer or agency of the Federal Government proposing to insure, guarantee, supplement, or assist such loan, at least ten days prior to settlement, an itemized disclosure in writing of each charge arising in connection with such settlement. Prohibits any person from giving and accepting any fee, kickback, or thing of value pursuant to any agreement or understanding, oral or otherwise, involving a federally related mortgage loan. Prescribes limits on the amounts a lender, in connection with a federally related mortgage loan, shall require the borrower or prospective borrower to deposit in any escrow account which may be established in connection with such loan for the purpose of assuring payment of taxes and insurance premiums with respect to the property. Directs the Secretary to establish and place in operation on a demonstration basis in various areas of the United States, a model system or systems for the recordation of land parcels in a manner and form calculated to facilitate and simplify land transfers and mortgage transactions and reduce the cost thereof. Directs the Secretary to report to the Congress on the necessity for further Congressional action in connection with real estate settlement practices. States that no fee or charge shall be imposed by a lender in connection with a federally related mortgage loan for or on account of the preparation and submission by such lender of statements required by this Act.

This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.

Timeline

No timeline events have been ingested for this record yet.

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

No version snapshots stored. Document URLs remain at the source.

Documents

3 official files

• Public Law (PDF)

  Public Law · EN · 23 December 1974

  ViewDownloadOpen at official source

• Public Law

  summary · EN · 22 December 1974

  Open at official source

• Introduced in Senate

  summary · EN · 13 March 1974

  Open at official source

Sponsors

No sponsors or actors listed by the source.

Related records

No cross-record relationships stored yet.