Revisions to TRID Rule?

In the News   Presented by Prairie Title  

June 27, 2016

         

TRID Changes Coming in July?

 

By Frank Pellegrini, Prairie Title CEO   

 

I know it seems like we’re beating a dead horse (apologies to our dearly departed equine friends), but TRID is the subject matter that just won’t go away. On April 28, CFPB Director Cordray wrote to industry trade groups that, “We believe that there are places in the regulation text and commentary where adjustments would be useful for greater certainty and clarity.”

 

Cordray expressed hope that action would be taken by late July without specifying the issues the agency would address. In the title business, we have been in conversations with CFPB about changing the rule to ensure consumers receive accurate, clear information about title insurance costs.

“ALTA appreciates Director Cordray and the CFPB stepping up to the plate and committing to provide more clarity on TRID,” said Michelle Korsmo, CEO of ALTA. “We value their openness in this process moving forward. We are committed to continuing our conversation with Director Cordray and the CFPB staff to correct the calculation of title insurance policy premiums.”

Since the Cordray letter, a bipartisan coalition has emerged in the U.S. House that is urging the CFPB to “ensure that your new forms serve as a credible source of accurate information about the true costs of buying a home for consumers.”

In other D.C. news, ALTA has joined a group of the nation’s largest real estate trade associations to push for cuts to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac fees. In a June letter to the Federal Housing Finance Agency, the group said the fees that Fannie and Freddie charge lenders to guarantee mortgage loans serve as a tax on consumers, preventing some potential borrowers from becoming actual borrowers.

I agree that it’s time to eliminate the fees that were instituted in 2008 in the wake of the housing crisis and subsequent major financial troubles faced by Fannie and Freddie. The two agencies have been stabilized and the fees have become an obstacle to homeownership.

I urge you to to contact your representives in Washington to ask them to get behind these critical  initiatives to improve the home buying process.

Let’s keep the discussion going. Call or email me, or write a comment.

Other stories we’re following:

Storm brewing in commercial real estate?                        Dems join house push to recapitalize GSEs.

 

Homebuilders can get loans, but where to build?                                    New home sales reverse course.