Click a state on the map to learn about state laws or regulations affecting competition in real estate.

Source: HUD
New ‘Good Faith Estimate’ will help borrowers save nearly $700
WASHINGTON - For the first time in more than 30 years, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development today issued long-anticipated mortgage reforms that will help consumers to shop for the lowest cost mortgage and avoid costly and potentially harmful loan offers. HUD will require, for the first time ever, that lenders and mortgage brokers provide consumers with a standard Good Faith Estimate (GFE) that clearly discloses key loan terms and closing costs. HUD estimates its new regulation will save consumers nearly $700 at the closing table.

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Traditional brokers face increasing competition from fee-for-service brokers who charge only for those services the consumer actually buys. Consumers with the option of choosing a fee-for-service broker can save thousands of dollars by purchasing only those services they need.

A number of states have enacted laws that require consumers to purchase brokerage services they may not want, with no option to waive the extra items. These so-called “minimum service” laws diminish consumer choice and raise the cost of selling a home.

Link: Learn about the laws or regulations affecting competition in your state by clicking here.

Wikipedia states the following : “A Real Estate Market is social. Buyers and Sellers communicate to discover information and negotiate to exchange goods or services. Internet transparency is letting home buyers view Residential and Commercial MLS, FSBO listings on their own. It has reduced home buyers search costs, and given them access to multiple new product options to choose from when going into a real estate transaction. Also sellers have found new tools and services to attract home buyers and sell their houses, they can now leverage Internet market tools that are intended to increase the efficacy of transactional requirements.”

“This transparency has made it difficult for Real Estate Agents, Appraisers, Lenders, etc. to collect the fees - tipping the balance of power towards the consumers. By opening access to information outside of the Brokers/Lawyers control, buyers and sellers now gain economic benefits that would be otherwise be received by market intermediaries or inappropriately distributed among the smart and connected deal makers of the financial world.”

Source: National Association of Realtors

On May 27, 2008, NAR and the U.S. Department of Justice reached a favorable settlement, concluding a two-year DOJ investigation (followed by two and a half years of litigation) regarding NAR’s multiple listing policy as it pertained to the display of listings from the MLS on brokers’ virtual office Web sites, or VOWs.

What the settlement accomplishes

The proposed terms (PDF 28K) are a win for NAR, REALTORS®, and consumers, and confirm that MLS members must be actively engaged in real estate brokerage (PDF 32K) by actually helping people buy or sell homes.

This will ensure that MLSs are used for what they were originally intended to do — to help real estate professionals find buyers for people who want to sell their homes. NAR has also agreed to adopt a revised Virtual Office Web site policy (PDF 36K) that NAR will request MLSs to adopt.