Connecticut Real Estate Attorney Law Blog

As I discussed in a prior blog post, fee based short sale negotiators or mortgage modification companies need a license to do business in Connecticut as of October 1, 2009.  In addition to a license, the new law also limits the fees that can be charged and requires a written agreement with the borrower, among other requirements.

The State Department of Banking (DOB) has now issued the required forms as well as provided further information on the licensing process.  The DOB has updated their web site to provide some guidance on who must be licensed, as well as providing links to the licensing forms.  The exemptions from licensing are listed, which include a CT licensed attorney, a lender, a CT licensed debt adjuster, and non-profit institutions.  The application fee is $1,600.00.  A number of forms must be filed and a bond must be obtained to apply for a license.

In addition, the DOB has issued a schedule of the maximum feesthat can be charged for performing short sale or mortgage modification services.  The maximum fee for a short sale or loan modification is $500.00, which can only be charged after the successful completion of the activities listed in the required written contract with the borrower.

Had a nice leisurely Sunday today, and since Columbus day is holiday here in CT, we get another Sunday tomorrow!

We did two enjoyable activities in town today.  First I had a nice nature walk with my two younger children (10 year old twins) on same land of the Hamden Land Conservation Trust (http://www.hlct.org) that they have helped to protect from development.  It was informative and beautiful.  We had some great views from the ridge line we were on, only wish I had some pictures to share!  The fall foliage is starting and it was such a clear day, and we met some nice folks from town.

Then we went to our local Hamden orchard and farm store, Hindinger Farm (http://wwww.hindingersfarm.com) and again enjoyed the beautiful fall day,  the great views and the excellent local apples (we bought a bag of McIntosh and a bag of Fortune, not familiar with those but they taste similar to a Delicious or at least have some Delicious in them).  This farm has been in the Hindinger family for generations and is now protected from development under the state farmland preservation program.

Later my daughter went to a farm in nearby Cheshire with one of her friends do some apple picking of her own.

All in all a great day, and a reminder of why I like living here so much!

With mortgage rates at new lows, people all across Connecticut are once again applying for and closing on refinance loans.  Even with the drop in real estate values and the changes in the types of mortgages that are available, many people can and are refinancing.  With rates this low, now is the time to refinance your CT mortgage if you can!  But along with the rate and the other parts of your mortgage approval, a borrower should also consider their closing costs. 

Who does refinance mortgage loan closings in Connecticut?  Do I have to use an Attorney?

Historically in Connecticut, mortgage loans have been closed by a Connecticut real estate attorney.  Connecticut is considered an 'attorney state' meaning that real estate closings are performed by Connecticut licensed attorneys.  However, for better or worse, closings are also increasingly done by title companies.  These closings are usually not done by or under the supervision of an attorney, and are usually performed by a company that the lender chooses, and may even have a financial relationship with.  The actual loan closing is commonly performed by a notary, who is prohibitedfrom actually explaining the loan documents.  While frequently the borrower is told this is a cost saving measure, it has been my experience that the services of an attorney frequently cost no more, and sometimes are even less expensive than paying for a notary and title company to do the closing.  There is really no reason not to insist on having an experienced real estate attorney do your loan closing.

What are the common refinance loan closing costs?

The typical charges include the cost of a title search to verify ownership of the property and what mortgages or liens are on it; a settlement fee or an attorney fee (the charge for actually performing the closing); the title insurance that the new lender requires; FedEx or overnight mail charges; copy costs; rundown or bring to date service; recording service; wire fees; title examination; and title binder.  These are in the 1100 series line in the HUD-1 Closing Statement.  These fees are in addition to whatever the lender charges, such as prepaid interest, escrows, points, etc.  As you can see, the list seems endless!

How do I compare my loan closing costs on a refinance loan?

It can sometimes be difficult to compare different closing costs since not all closing agents, be they attorneys or title companies, charge in the same manner.  Sometimes a low settlement fee will be quoted, but there will be numerous additional charges.  Sometimes the settlement or attorney fee will seem high, but there will not be many other fees.  Bottom line, you have to ask all the fees being charged before you can make an apples to apples comparison.  And do not assume an attorney is going to charge more than a title company.  As a borrower, I would not agree to close without a firm estimate and understanding of the total loan closing costs.

How much are the closing fees?

Unfortunately the fees range greatly.  Title insurance in Connecticut is one thing that you should be able to get a direct quote on, since each company sets its rates in a rate filing with the State of Connecticut Insurance Department and then is required to follow the rate it has filed.  The only discount is for a refinance, and that discount is a 40% reduction in the premium for a refinance of an institutional mortgage within the past ten years, up to the amount of the existing mortgage.  So be sure you are getting the refinance or reissue rate!  As very general estimates, I will provide the following information: a title search can be from $75 to $200, depending on what type of search is required; loan settlement or attorney fee from $450 to $800; title examination $50; rundown and record or bring to date or recording service $50 to $75; FedEx/copies from $8 to 45.  These are just estimates.

Can I get a fee quote?

I willingly provide fee quotes for my services, and I think all providers should do the same.  All I need is some basic information about the closing and I will provide an estimate of the fees required for me to perform the closing.  You may contact me by email at attybegemann@comcast.net and I will provide a prompt and accurate response to your inquiry.  You will receive the services of an experienced, dedicated real estate attorney, and you will have the peace of mind knowing that the loan was properly closed.  I can provide loan closing services throughout Connecticut.

Here is a link to a page on my web site that provides more information about mortgage refinances in Connecticut and the role of the real estate attorney.

There has been much discussion about recent changes in FHA approvals for condos.  By way of background, when an FHA loan is made for a condo unit, the complex must be 'approved' by HUD before the FHA loan can be made.  In the past (or more accurately until November) this could be done by a formal approval by HUD itself or by a 'spot approval' whereby the lender would review certain aspects of the condo complex for the purposes of making that one loan.  HUD has now abolished the spot approval, and generally made the pprocess more complex, while at the same time loosening some of the requirements.  See the blog post below as well as the links in this post for a good explanation of the changes and their potential impact.  In addition to the blog post below, here is a link to a blog from a Massachusetts attorney that also explains the changes.  The National Association of Realtors and other organizations have requested modifications to the changes, so this may still be a work in progress.  Personally, I am not quite as pessimistic as to the effect of these changes.  Some of them will make the approval process easier in substance, although the paperwork required is more significant.  Plus once a complex is approved using this new process, it will not need to be reviewed again (unlike the spot process which was loan specific).  I will keep an eye on this issue to see what happens as November 2 approaches.

Here is a blog post from an experienced FHA lender in Connecticut that explains the recent delay in the changes and provides a good explanation of what we can expect.

The Connecticut legislature has recently passed legislation that was effective October 1, 2009 which will for the first time explicitly regulate people and companies that (for a fee) assist consumers in negotiating their mortgage debt, including fee assisting with short sale negotiations.  The legislation is Senate Bill 950.

This legislation applies to all in state and out of state companies and individuals who charge a fee for negotiating someone's debt.  The new law prohibits advance fees, and requires licensing and bonding for those who want to engage in this type of activity.

What this means is that if a fee is charged to a consumer in the course of settling or negotiating a debt, that activity is now regulated by the state and a license to perform it is required.  The license will be obtained from the State Department of Banking.  Attorneys admitted to practice law in Connecticut are exempt from the new law (attorneys NOT admitted in CT do not appear to come within this exemption).

So lets say you are a Realtor and have a short sale listing, and you help the owner negotiate with their bank.  Do these activities come within this new legislation?  I must say I do not know the answer to that question.  The statute is written very broadly and does not provide a specific exception for Realtors.  The argument the Realtor would make is that they are not expecting a "fee, commission or other valuable consideration" from the act of the debt negotiating, but rather from the sale of the property for which they have a separate commission agreement,and the short sale negotiations are ancillary to that.

So if you are a Realtor and have a separate business doing fee-based debt negotiation or the like, you will  have to be licensed and your contracts and activities will be regulated.  If you are a Realtor and doing short sales but do not charge extra for the service, I would get a legal opinion or advice from an attorney to verify that such activities are OK.

I have the text of the relevant portion of the proposed statute if anyone is interested in reading it in detail.   Just contact me and I will email it to you.  It is also available on the web site for the CT legislature,

If you are interested in becoming licensed under this new law, or want further information about its applicability, please contact me.

Informative post from a local agent on the recent activity and market trends in the Hamden, CT real estate market.

Read on for more information.

What is the real estate contract purchase and sale agreement, for purchasing or selling residential real estate in Connecticut?  What will my Connecticut real estate attorney do?  What will my Connecticut real estate agent do?  If you are thinking of buying or selling a home in CT, it is important to understand the basic process. 

Please note that the following is not legal advice but is designed as information.  Please contact your attorney for legal advice.  If you wish to contact me to discuss a particular situation or to retain me for your CT real estate closing, please go to my website at http://www.attybegemann.com or email me at attybegemann@comcast.net.  Most of my closings I do for a fixed fee, discussed and disclosed prior to you retaining me as your attorney.  Please contact me for further details.

Make (or accept) an offer on residential real estate - Connecticut overview.

The potential buyer of a piece of residential real estate in CT will make a written offer. This offer will contain the relevant terms, such as property address, purchase price, closing date, mortgage amount, date by which to obtain mortgage, inspection terms, date by which to accept and any other relevant terms or conditions. Depending on where the property is located, the offer may be made in the form of a 'binder' or on a full purchase and sale agreement. In Fairfield County, the binder is usually used, while most of the rest of the state goes directly to contract.

Make (or accept) an offer on a binder form (Fairfield County, Connecticut).

Typically in Fairfield County offers are made on a binder. Although the exact form of the binder differs by area and by real estate agent, typically the binder is a one page form that contains the basic terms of the transaction. This includes purchase price, deposits, property address, personal property included with the sale, mortgage amount and date, inspection provisions and signatures of the parties. Typically one percent of the purchase price is paid at the time of the offer. The seller may accept or make a counter-offer. If an agreement is reached, the executed binder is forwarded to the seller's attorney for a full contract to be drafted for execution by the parties. Although the binder is completed with the expectation that a full contract will later be signed, in certain circumstances the binder can be enforced as a contract. The property condition disclosure report is also included. You should consult an attorney before signing a binder.

Make (or accept) an offer on a contract form (New Haven and Hartford Counties and most of CT).

Most areas of Connecticut go 'straight to contract,' which means that the buyer's offer is made on a contract form, and acceptance of the offer results in a fully binding contract. Most areas have an 'official' contract approved by the local Board of Realtors and the local Bar Association (see example at link below), or a form used by a particular agency. The contract form contains all the 'boilerplate' provisions, and the terms specific to the transaction must be added to the form and agreed to by the buyer and seller. The property condition disclosure report is also included. Although the contract form does not usually contain an automatic attorney review contingency, it is a good idea to have an attorney review the contract before it is binding (before you sign it). Since the contract forms used in different areas and even by different brokers have differing provisions, you should always have an attorney review the terms and provisions before you sign it. Remember, when you are making an offer on a contract form (most of the state) once that offer is accepted, it is a binding contract and the rights and obligations of the parties will be deterimed by that acontract.

Include important provisions in the contract or binder.

Whether the offer is made on a binder or a contract form, there are certain important terms that must be included. These include the address of the property, the names and signatures of the buyer and seller, the purchase price, deposit and closing date. These are the basic terms needed to make a binding agreement. In addition, for the protection of the buyer there must be a mortgage contingency provision which would include the amount and terms of the mortgage and the date by which the mortgage must be obtained. The buyer should also have an inspection contingency provision, which allows the buyer to have a building inspection on the premises by a certain date. You can review my post here on the use of contingencies.  There should also be a listing of any personal property included with the sale, such as appliances, draperies, etc. In addition, any special provision, such as an agreement that the seller pay part of the buyer's closing costs, would need to be included. Anything not included will not be a part of the binding contract.

Forward a copy of the contract to your lender and attorney.

Your lender will need a copy of the fully executed contract as part of the underwriting process for your loan. You should also consult the lender if you make any subsequent changes to the contract, such as credits for repair items, as these may affect the underwriting of your loan. If you have not done so already, you will need to send a copy of the contract to your closing attorney.

 Coordinate the closing with your attorney and real estate agent.

If you are the buyer, your attorney and your lender should be in contact once you have loan approval. If you do not receive loan approval by the date in your mortgage contingency, your attorney will need to ask for an extension. The lender will need certain information from the attorney regarding the title to the property. The buyer's attorney will order and review the title search and prepare the title insurance commitment for the lender. As the closing date approaches, the attorneys will prepare the closing adjustments, working with the other attorney and the lender, and will coordinate the closing date. The buyer's attorney will prepare the title insurance. A walk through is done the day of closing with the real estate agent to be sure the house is empty and in agreed condition.

What if it is a short sale or there are other issues?

If you are selling or buying a property through a 'short sale' when the seller owes more on the house then they will be selling it for, it is especially important to consult an attorney before a binding purchase and sale agreement is executed. Please feel free to ask me or your real estate attorney for advice on any issues. Most attorneys, such as myself, offer a free initial consultation and are happy to quote a fee for representing you on your real estate matter.

QUESTIONS?  COMMENTS?  NEED MORE INFORMATION? Please contact me at attybegemann@comcast.net or view my website at http://www.attybegemann.com.  I practice real estate law from my main office in Hamden and satellite office in Fairfield.