• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
NoteInvestor.com Logo with House next to words

Note Investor

How to buy, sell, broker or invest in private mortgage notes for cash flow!

Your Trusted Source For
Note Investing Information!

  • Home
  • About
  • Articles
    • Notes 101
    • Note Brokers
    • Note Buyers
    • Real Deals
    • Seller’s Corner
    • Cash Flow Business
  • Learn
    • Sell Your Mortgage Note
    • Note Broker Training
    • How To Buy Notes
    • Note Buyers Directory
    • Creating Notes With Seller Financing
    • Note Investing 101 Series Videos
    • Note Industry Conventions
  • Bookstore
  • Contact
  • Sell Your Note

Stop HR 4173 From Regulating Seller Financing!

January 13, 2010 by Tracy Z 7 Comments

vote-no-hr-4173

Urgent Update: House Passes Wall Street Reform Act HR 4173 Including Mortgage Reform Provisions of HR 1728 Regulating Owner Financing

The proposed legislation that had real estate sellers and buyers legitimately concerned about seller financing passed the house on December 11, 2009, as part of HR 4173. Also known as The Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, the bill now goes to be voted on in the Senate.

The original text of HR 4173 was a staggering 1279 pages and intended to provide wide sweeping reform to insurance, derivatives, and the financial services industry. It has now grown to include multiple amendments and the mortgage reform that would impact owner financing.

Before consideration of the Wall Street Act began on the house floor, the House Rules Committee included Title VII, another 200 pages known as the Mortgage Reform and Anti-Predatory Lending Act. This legislation was originally passed as part of HR 1728 on May 7, 2009 (see How Congress Wants to Change Seller Financing). It had fortunately stalled in the Senate but is alive once again with its inclusion in the Wall Street Reform Act HR 4173.

Why the Concern?
The Mortgage Reform Act sets forth strict regulations on mortgage originators. It effectively takes away the rights of private property owners by bringing them under the regulation meant to apply to Wall Street and Big Banks.

Most of us would agree there is need for reform after the bailout of AIG, Citigroup, and other entities the government considered “too big to fail.” However, the inclusion of seller financing is going to hurt the very people it is trying to protect – the average person on main street trying to buy and sell property with some kind of alternative to failing bank loans.  (Meet the little guy at The Many Faces of an Owner Financed Buyer)

The Mortgage Reform Act applies to mortgage originators and defines mortgage originators. It also provides exclusions for when the law would not apply. The portion that has owner financing worried is the following section 101(3)(e):

(E) does not include, with respect to a residential mortgage loan, a person, estate, or trust that provides mortgage financing for the sale of 1 property in any 36-month period, provided that such loan-

(i) is fully amortizing;
(ii) is with respect to a sale for which the seller determines in good faith and documents that the buyer has a reasonable ability to repay the loan;
(iii) has a fixed rate or an adjustable rate that is adjustable after 5 or more years, subject to reasonable annual and lifetime limitations on interest rate increases; and
(iv) meets any other criteria the Federal banking agencies may prescribe;

Basically the law would apply to someone selling a home and offering a seller carry-back installment sale, except in the above instance and provided the loan meets those 4 requirements. (Anyone else concerned about how vague that last one is…(iv) meets any other criteria the Federal banking agencies may prescribe...?)

So if you want to sell more than one property with seller financing every 3 years the law applies. That means the licensing, testing, bonding, net worth, and reporting required of mortgage originators. This will limit how many buyers are able to fulfill their dream of home ownership. Buyers often turn to seller financing when banks decline a home loan.

So what can we do? Write your Senator to voice your opinion. Explain how seller financing will hurt the little guy and encourage them to Vote NO on HR 4173. Remember, this is the same Mortgage Reform language that was included in HR 1728, so keep making your voice heard.

Looking for more information on the proposed legislation? Here are some additional resources:

CLICK HERE – To read an article by Ric Thom on why the language in this bill can negatively hurt seller financing.

CLICK HERE – To read a summary of the bill related to mortgage reform as published by the Law Firm of Pepper Hamilton Financial Services.

CLICK HERE – For a sample letter to use in communicating with your State Senator encouraging him or her to VOTE NO on HR 4173 and HR 1728.

CLICK HERE – To read the section of the bill related to Mortgage Reform (formerly HR 1728 and now included as Title VII of HR 4173 Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2009)

CLICK HERE – To track the progress and read the full text of HR 4173 (over 1,279 pages plus numerous amendments).

Filed Under: Note Brokers Tagged With: HR 4173 Hurts Seller Financing, HR 4173 Wall Street Act and HR 1728 Mortgage Reform, Save Owner Financing, Stop HR 4173, Stop HR 4173 From Regulating Seller Financing

About Tracy Z

Tracy combines her knowledge of real estate notes with the power of marketing online to help grow your business! She can be reached at Tracy@NoteInvestor.com or by calling 1-888-999-7905.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Mike says

    March 25, 2011 at 1:25 am

    Correct me if I am wrong but this applies to a “mortgage loan” under HOEPA. An open-end line of credit is exempt under this law. So, in essence a seller could carry back financing using an open end line of credit for the amount borrowed (max out the draw amount) and the rest of the law (HR 1728) does not apply. No reasonabilty test, balloon payments/call provisions are ok under heloc’s. Correct?

    There will always be loopholes that people will take advantage of.

    Reply
  2. Donna says

    February 24, 2010 at 11:16 am

    I believe this is another way to get more money out of the people’s hands

    Reply
  3. Dawn Rickabaugh says

    February 11, 2010 at 7:04 pm

    Thanks for assembling the thoughts and resources that are so relevant on this subject. I’ve referenced your posts and links, and will stay tuned to keep abreast of the story. That this provision would pass is unthinkable.

    Dawn

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Is Seller Financing A Crime Now? :AskMikeButler.com says:
    May 13, 2010 at 12:55 pm

    […] HR 1728 and HR 4173. […]

    Reply
  2. How HUD Safe Act Will Hurt Seller Financing : Note Investor says:
    February 12, 2010 at 7:10 pm

    […] The HUD proposals under the Safe Act are all part of the fall out from the failed lending institutions and related to HR 1728 and HR 4173. […]

    Reply
  3. HR 4173 Safe Mortgage Licensing Threatening to Kill Owner Financing says:
    February 12, 2010 at 3:21 pm

    […] Read more about HR 4173 […]

    Reply
  4. Top 5 Articles on Seller Financing : Note Investor says:
    February 4, 2010 at 5:32 pm

    […] After passing the House on May 7, 2009, this bill has been stalled in the Senate. Now Note Investor has discovered that most of the provisions and restrictions of HR 1728, including the limitations on seller financing, have been included as part of HR 4173. Also known as The Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, this bill passed the House on December 11, 2009 and now goes before the Senate. Read More… […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Learn Real Estate Notes

Click the reports below to download your FREE copy of 5 Ways to Cash in on Notes AND a BONUS!
Diversified Investment Services Inc BBB Business Review

Search This Site

More to See

Investing Notes Risk

21 Tips To Read Before You Get Started Investing in Notes

Selling Mortgage Notes? Find the Right Note Buyer!

Learn Note Business

Learn the Note Business in 60 Seconds?

Cash Flow Notes Business Truth

5 Myths About the Cash Flow Notes Business

Most Read Note Buying Info

How To Buy Mortgage Notes
Creating Notes With Seller Financing
Note Broker Training
Get Direct With Note Buyers Directory
How Can I Find Cash Flow Notes?
Buying and Selling Notes For Residual Income
How Dodd Frank Mortgage Laws Apply to Seller Financing
How To Calculate Cash Flow Notes
Note Investing 101 Series Videos
Best of Notes 2024

Connect With Us

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Footer

Places to Visit

  • Creating Notes
  • How To Buy Notes
  • Note Broker Training
  • Note Buyers Directory
  • Sell Your Note
  • Bookstore

We Are Here to Help

Photo of Fred Rewey and Tracy Z of NoteInvestor.com
Fred Rewey & Tracy Z NoteInvestor.com

Receive the Note Investor Newsletter

COPYRIGHT © 2008-2025 NOTE INVESTOR | PRIVACY POLICY | CONTACT US
This website is for informational purposes. This is not an offer to sell or purchase any security. Nothing is intended as legal, financial or investment advice. Any historical data represents past performance and does not guarantee future results. NoteInvestor.com is owned by Diversified Investment Services, Inc.