1. Don't trust any real estate agent that would steer you into using any particular vendor, home inspector, lender, etc.
2. Don't assume that you can't qualify for a loan if you refuse to use any real estate agent's vendor, home inspector, lender or other service provider.
3. Don't let any real estate agent persuade you to make false statements on any required forms such as a disclosure statement or any other form.
4. Don't let any real estate agent persuade you to borrow more money that will exceed your debt to income ratio limits or ability to repay any loan.
5. Don't let any real estate agent trick you into believing that you've obligated yourself to any real estate transaction before you've actually done so, such as signing a disclosure form which doesn't require you to commit to a loan.
6. Don't sign any documents given to you by any real estate agent that have blanks that are not filled in.
7. Don't take a kickback at closing from any vendor that the real estate agent has provided.
8. Don't sign anything that your real estate agent gives you that you haven't read first.
9. Don't sign anything if you don't understand the tongue or language that the real estate agent is using and get an interpreter that doesn't work for the agent to help you review your paperwork.
10. Don't proceed by yourself if you don't understand the technical vocabulary of the law in any document that your real estate agent is giving you to sign and review it with a lawyer.
A violation of the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA), which governs any federally related loan, is serious and you and your real estate agent could be sent to prison for disregarding it.
If you believe that your real estate agent is committing fraud, taking a kickback from a vendor or committing a RESPA violation contact the FBI office in your region Http://FBI.Gov , HUD (Housing and Urban Development Http://HUD.Gov) your state real estate commission and your local real estate board immediately.
As a licensed real estate agent, I have an obligation to protect my brokerage, clients, customers and colleagues, respect the laws of my real estate commission and those of this nation that govern our community.
As an industry we have an ethical and moral obligation to protect the integrity of our profession, and are sworn to do so.
For more about RESPA Visit:
RESPA - Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act
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