Truth in Lending Act (TILA): Federal law requiring disclosure of credit terms and standardizing the manner in which costs associated with borrowing are calculated and disclosed.
Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA): Federal law requiring lenders, mortgage brokers, and servicers to provide borrowers with disclosures regarding the real estate settlement process and prohibiting certain practices.
Home Ownership and Equity Protection Act (HOEPA): Federal law addressing predatory lending practices in the home equity market, requiring additional disclosures for high-cost mortgages.
Fair Housing Act: Federal law prohibiting discrimination in real estate transactions based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, or disability.
Equal Credit Opportunity Act: Federal law ensuring equal access to credit and prohibiting discrimination in lending practices.
State Property Laws: State-specific regulations governing real property ownership, transfer, and rights within the specific jurisdiction.
State Recording Requirements: State-specific rules for how deeds of trust must be recorded, including format, content, and filing procedures.
State Foreclosure Laws: State-specific regulations governing the foreclosure process, including notice requirements and borrower rights.
State Trust Laws: State-specific regulations governing the creation, administration, and termination of trusts.
State Real Estate Transfer Laws: State-specific requirements for transferring real property, including transfer taxes and documentation requirements.
UCC Article 3: Uniform Commercial Code provisions governing negotiable instruments, including promissory notes associated with deeds of trust.
UCC Article 9: Uniform Commercial Code provisions governing secured transactions and the creation and perfection of security interests.
County Recording Requirements: Local requirements for document format, margins, paper quality, and other specifications for recording deed documents.
Local Real Estate Regulations: Municipal and county-specific rules affecting real estate transactions and property use.
Local Zoning Laws: Municipal and county regulations governing property use, restrictions, and development.
Statute of Frauds: Legal requirement that certain contracts, including those involving real property, must be in writing to be enforceable.
State Notarization Requirements: State-specific rules for document notarization, including required forms of acknowledgment and notary procedures.
Legal Description Requirements: Standards for properly identifying and describing the real property in legal documents.
Homestead Rights: State-specific protections for primary residences, including exemptions from creditors and special requirements for encumbrance.
Community Property Laws: Special property ownership rules in community property states affecting married couples' rights in real estate transactions.
