Showing posts with label news release. Show all posts
Showing posts with label news release. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Ability to Repay and Qualified Mortgage Standards Under the Truth in Lending Act (Regulation Z)

AT A GLANCE

Status:Final Rule
Issued Date: January 10, 2013
Published Date: January 30, 2013
Effective Date: January 10, 2014
Read common consumer questions about mortgages.
The CFPB amended Regulation Z, which implements the Truth in Lending Act (TILA). Regulation Z currently prohibits a creditor from making a higher-priced mortgage loan without regard to the consumer’s ability to repay the loan. The final rule implements sections 1411 and 1412 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act), which generally require creditors to make a reasonable, good faith determination of a consumer’s ability to repay any consumer credit transaction secured by a dwelling (excluding an open-end credit plan, timeshare plan, reverse mortgage, or temporary loan) and establishes certain protections from liability under this requirement for “qualified mortgages.” The final rule also implements section 1414 of the Dodd-Frank Act, which limits prepayment penalties. Finally, the final rule requires creditors to retain evidence of compliance with the rule for three years after a covered loan is consummated.
This page contains resources to help you understand the rule and its implications.

CONTENTS

  1. The rule
    1. Final rules submitted to the Federal Register
    2. Effective date
    3. Breakdown of the document’s contents
  2. Compliance guide and related information
    1. Compliance guide
    2. Ability-to-repay/qualified mortgage comparison chart
  3. What this means for consumers
  4. Proposals
    1. Concurrent proposal
    2. Related proposals

The rule

Final rules submitted to the Federal Register
July 10, 2013:We issued a final rule amending certain provisions of the rule. It is based on a proposed rule issued in April 2013.
January 10, 2013: We issued the document containing this final rule. On January 30, 2013, the Office of the Federal Register published the final rule.
May 29, 2013: We issued a final rule amending certain provisions of the rule. It is based on a proposed rule issued in January.

EFFECTIVE DATE

This rule is effective January 10, 2014.

BREAKDOWN OF THE DOCUMENT’S CONTENTS

This document contains the following parts:
  • Preamble summarizing why we are issuing the rule, our legal authority, reasoning behind the rule, responses to comments, and analysis of the benefits, costs, and impacts of the rule
  • Regulatory text, which, when effective, will amend Regulation Z and can be found on page 638 in the document above
  • Official interpretations of the rules which can be found on page 690 in the document above

Compliance guide and related information

COMPLIANCE GUIDE

Read the Small Entity Compliance Guide to learn more about the rule in a plain language and FAQ format which makes the content more accessible for a broad array of industry constituents, especially smaller businesses with limited legal and compliance staff. Or watch our video on YouTube to learn more about the rule.

ABILITY-TO-REPAY/QUALIFIED MORTGAGE COMPARISON CHART

Review our comparison chart, which compares the general Ability-to-Repay requirements with the requirements for originating Qualified Mortgage loans.

What this means for consumers

The new rule will go into effect on January 10, 2014. This summary outlines some of the ways we expect it to impact consumers who have residential mortgage loans. Download the consumer summary.

Proposals

CONCURRENT PROPOSAL

The CFPB is proposing to amend Regulation Z, which implements the Truth in Lending Act (TILA). The Dodd-Frank Act requires creditors to make a reasonable, good faith determination of a consumer’s ability to repay any consumer credit transaction secured by a dwelling (excluding an open-end credit plan, timeshare plan, reverse mortgage, or temporary loan) and establishes certain protections from liability under this requirement for “qualified mortgages.” The Bureau is proposing certain amendments to the final rule implementing these requirements, including exemptions for certain nonprofit creditors and certain homeownership stabilization programs and an additional definition of a qualified mortgage for certain loans made and held in portfolio by small creditors. The Bureau is also seeking feedback on whether additional clarification is needed regarding the inclusion of loan originator compensation in the points and fees calculation.
You can also view, as individual documents, the concurrent proposal’s preambleregulatory text, and official interpretations.

RELATED PROPOSALS

June 21, 2013: We issued a proposed rule with request for public comment that proposed certain amendments for several of the final mortgage rules we issued in January 2013. This proposal was published in the Federal Register on July 2, 2013. You can also review comments submitted on the electronic docket.
May 11, 2011: The Office of the Federal Register published the following proposed rule issued by the Federal Reserve Board.
June 5, 2012: The Office of the Federal Register published a a notice reopening the comment period specifically for certain new data and information. That notice, and comments received, are available online: Notice of Reopening of Comment Period to seek comment on certain new data and information submitted during or obtained after the close of the original comment period.
April 19, 2013: We issued a proposed rule with request for public comment that amends some of the final mortgage rules issued by the bureau in January of 2013. Specifically, it amends this rule and the mortgage servicing rule.
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Monday, March 11, 2013

Southern California home prices rise on low supply




— Southern California home prices rose in December as investors made cash offers to compete
for slim pickings, and sales grew in pricier coastal regions, according to reports released
Tuesday.

The median price for new and existing houses and condominiums reached $323,000 in
December, up 19.6 percent from $270,000 during the same period of 2011, DataQuick reported.

The median rose $2,000 from November to December to its highest level since August 2008,
when it hit $330,000.

There were 20,274 homes sold during the month in the region, up 5.3 percent from the same
period last year.

Supplies remained tight. The California Association of Realtors index of unsold inventory in the
Los Angeles metropolitan area stood at 2.8 months in December, down from 4.8 months a year
earlier.

The figure represents how long it would take to sell all existing single-family homes in the
region at the current sales clip. Supply in a normal market is considered to be six to seven
months.

Josh Martin, a retired Marine who was approved for a $260,000 Veterans Administration home
loan, said he was outbid on four homes in the past two months in the San Diego area.

"It's been really tough," said Martin, 25, a prospective first-time home buyer. "Each time it's
people paying cash and flipping homes or (the sellers) get turned off by a VA loan."

Buyers paying cash accounted for 33.8 percent of December sales, up from 29.8 percent a year
earlier and well above the monthly average of 17.3 percent since 2000, DataQuick said.

The San Diego-based research firm said the high percentage of cash purchases reflected
difficulties getting home loans and investor interest in real estate.

Foreclosed properties — a major driver of sales until recently — continued to dry up, further
limiting supplies.

DataQuick said homes that were foreclosed in the previous year accounted for 14.8 percent of
existing home sales in December, down from 32.4 percent a year earlier and 56.7 percent in
February 2009.

The Inland Empire, which had been buoyed by foreclosure sales, was the only part of Southern
California to see sales drop. San Bernadino County, the least expensive county surveyed with a
median sales price of $180,000, saw sales tumble 11.7 percent from last year. Riverside County
witnessed a 9.4 percent sales decline.

The Inland Valleys Association of Realtors, which represents large parts of San Bernadino and
Riverside counties, recorded 51,797 sales listings last year, the lowest since it began keeping
track in 2001, said Paul Herrera, director of government relations and communications. Yet there
were 43,587 homes sold, which is about average, suggesting there is enough demand to support
more sales.

Herrera said listings will increase when homeowners who bought properties in the past two or
three years decide to take profits.

"The demand is there, but the supply has to match it," he said. "It has to come from new
construction ... or hopefully gains in value."

Pricier, coastal regions posted the strongest sales gains. Orange County, the most expensive
county with a median sales price of $470,000, saw sales jump by 19.4 percent from last year. San
Diego County, with a median sales price of $366,000, had the second strongest sales growth, up
13.5 percent.

Friday, December 2, 2011

COUNTY RESIDENTS ENCOURAGED TO PREPARE FOR NEXT DISASTER

News Release

COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES
Contact: David Sommers (213) 974-1363
Brian Lew, Public Affairs, (213) 974-1652
Dec. 1, 2011
COUNTY RESIDENTS ENCOURAGED TO
PREPARE FOR NEXT DISASTER

(Los Angeles, Dec. 1) – In light of today’s wind related damage and power outages
across Los Angeles County, residents are encouraged to review their emergency
survival procedures and make use of County resources available to seek help and
prepare for the next disaster:
Dept. of Public Works (http://dpw.lacounty.gov/contact/)
To report trees down, inoperable County-maintained traffic signals, damage to
roadways and County facilities, call 1-800-675-HELP (4375).
Alert LA County (http://portal.lacounty.gov/wps/portal/alertla)
Los Angeles County has implemented an emergency mass notification system to
contact County residents and businesses via recorded phone messages, text messages
and e-mail during emergencies. For more information and to register your cell phone
number, Voice over IP number, and e-mail address, please click the link above.
Specific Needs Assessment Planning (S.N.A.P.)
(http://lacoa.org/PDF/EmergencySurvivalGuide-LowRes.pdf)
To better prepare County residents for these and other types of disasters, the Los
Angeles County Office of Emergency Management (OEM) announces the launch of the
Specific Needs Awareness Planning (S.N.A.P.) voluntary disaster registry.
Emergency Survival Guide (http://lacoa.org/PDF/EmergencySurvivalGuide-LowRes.pdf)
This Guide will help you to better prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters
that face Los Angeles County. Our goal is to provide tips that assist you to be selfsufficient after a disaster. In addition to this Guide, we recommend that you increase
your awareness of emergency situations and the skills you need to prepare your family,
neighbors and your community. Become Community Emergency Response Team
(CERT) qualified and join a local CERT Disaster Response Team. CERT Teams
strengthen the ability of our communities to quickly recover after major disasters. This guide is a starting point.
-more-
Preparedness 2-2-2
Los Angeles County Emergency Survival Program (ESP) (http://www.espfocus.org/)
This web site was developed by the Emergency Survival Program (ESP) and the Los
Angeles County Office of Emergency Management. The web site contains a calendar
style collection of easy to print disaster information sheets that include topics on:
1. Understanding terrorism
2. Actions for threat levels
3. Tuning into the media
4. Weapons of mass destruction
5. Taking cover
6. Planning for a trip
7. Staying or going in a disaster
8. Being safe at work
9. School preparedness
10. What to do if you are in a public place
11. Volunteering
12. Preparing an emergency kit as a gift
There is also a description of disasters that have occurred in Los Angeles County. Most
of the web site contains disaster planning resources for local government officials and
an overview of the Office of Emergency Management's role in a disaster. The
information is available in English only.
Los Angeles County Department of Public Health - Emergency Preparedness
Hotline
1-866-999-LABT (5228)
This hotline is staffed by multi-lingual operators available between 8:30 am and 5 pm
Monday through Friday to provide information on disaster preparedness. The
information provided by the operators is similar to the information that is included in this
labt.org web site. Callers are connected directly with hotline operators who speak
Spanish, English, Korean, Armenian, Mandarin and Cantonese Chinese, Vietnamese and Russian. Callers who speak other languages will be assisted by a tele-interpreting
service.
Preparedness 3-3-3
211- Los Angeles County Info Line (dial 2-1-1)
TTY: 1-800-660-4026
Live operators at this line are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and provide free,
confidential information and referral services to individuals for such critical issues like
health care and substance abuse, domestic violence, shelter, food, legal and financial
assistance, children and senior programs and mental health services. Services are
available in English, Spanish and over 140 languages via a tele-interpreting service.
Note:
Use 211 not 911 if you need information about the above topics that 211 operators have
available. You should call 911 only if you have a life-threatening emergency.
-lacounty.gov-