The Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) insures that consumers throughout the nation are provided with more helpful information about the cost of the mortgage settlement and protected from unnecessarily high settlement charges caused by certain abusive practices.

The most recent RESPA Rule makes obtaining mortgage financing clearer and, ultimately, cheaper for consumers. The new Rule includes a required, standardized Good Faith Estimate (GFE) to facilitate shopping among settlement service providers and to improve disclosure of settlement costs and interest rate related terms. The HUD-1 was improved to help consumers determine if their actual closing costs were within established tolerance requirements.

• Settlement Agreement, Prospect Mortgage LLCM
• Settlement Agreement (8 Jul 11), Fidelity National Financial, Inc.
• RESPA Roundup April 2011
• RESPA Roundup March 2011-Guidance for RESPA in relation to FRB compensation rule
• Home Buying Videos (HUD's You Tube Channel)
• Solicitation of Information on Changes in Warehouse Lending
• Exemption from RESPA for Certain Subordinate Loan Transactions
• Home Warranty Interpretive Rule: Response to Public Comments (11/23/2010)
• Home Warranty Interpretive Rule (6/25/2010)
• HUD's new settlement cost booklet
• New RESPA Rule FAQs (updated 4/2/2010)
• RESPA Final Rule (pdf version)
• RESPA Final Rule (Electronic Code of Federal Regulation version)
• RESPA Forms and Completion Instructions
• Regulatory Impact Analysis
• RESPA ANPR on "Required Use" Prohibition (6/3/2010)
• RESPA Roundup Archive

RESPA is about closing costs and settlement procedures. RESPA requires that consumers receive disclosures at various times in the transaction and outlaws kickbacks that increase the cost of settlement services. RESPA is a HUD consumer protection statute designed to help homebuyers be better shoppers in the home buying process, and is enforced by HUD.

• More about RESPA
• FAQ's about Escrow Accounts
• Know Your Borrower's Rights
• Your Rights and the Responsibilities of the Mortgage Servicer
• Sample Complaint to Lender
• Property Tax Alert
• Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) Act Information
• State and Local Consumer Agencies
• Other Federal Resources