The SAFE Act and the Real Estate Investor

SAFE Mortgage Licensing Actcompensation or gain. Assist a consumer in obtaining
How The Act Affects Real Estate Investorsor applying to obtain a residential mortgage loan by
Real Estate investors contend with all sorts of lawsadvising on loan terms (including rates, fees, other
which are different in every state and county. Onecosts), collecting information on behalf of the
way this has been done by the states is to requireconsumer.
certain activities to be performed only by licensedTaking an application also means receipt of an
persons.application for the purpose of deciding whether or not
Examples of this are the licensing of Realtors,to extend the requested offer of a loan to the
Contractors, and others. The affect of the licensing ofborrower, whether directly or indirectly. Plus a number
any area creates a barrier for others to performof other requirements.
those same activities.This act is to protect the end user (borrower - to be
License requirements are more about what is requiredowner). It does not apply to commercial deals.
by the licensed person and what they can and cannotThis license does not apply to the real estate investor
do than they are about who can't do the particularwhen they are buying a property.
activity.It applies when the investor sells a property to an end
Fortunately, real estate investors are very creative.user and when that end user applies for residential
Since their investing actions are not restricted to justmortgage loan.
activities that realtors or contractors or loan officersThe real estate investor may buy from anyone and
do they always find ways to avoid license activities.sell to anyone that is NOT a end user (borrower - to
This new Loan Originator License will be required bybe owner) who applies for a residential mortgage loan.
every state. This is a mandate from the federal level. ItThus the real estate investor may buy, sell to a
was part of "The Housing and Economic Recoverywholesaler or another investor, buy and sell any
Act". It is called the "SAFE Mortgage Licensing Act".commercial property, and anything that does not
Every state has until the end of 2010 (or before) toinvolve a residential mortgage loan.
create and enact a license requirement for mortgageThis does give the real estate investor problem with
loan originators.subject-to, wraps, and investor taking a 2nd mortgage.
It states that "Only" Licensed Mortgage OriginatorsBe sure to check with the license requirements are for
may take mortgage loan applications, offer orany state that you are going to do business in.
negotiate terms of a residential mortgage loan for