As another major victory for REALTORS®, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced today that it will generally not enforce the Mortgage Assistance Relief Services (MARS) Rule against real estate brokers and agents engaged in short sales. Real estate professionals must nevertheless comply with MARS prohibitions against misrepresentations and other laws prohibiting unfair and deceptive acts. Also, FTC’s forbearance of enforcement is limited to real estate licensees in good standing and acting in compliance with state laws, who assist consumers in negotiating, obtaining, or arranging short sales in the course of securing the sale of the consumer’s home.
In its announcement today, the FTC acknowledged “it is especially important that the Rule not inadvertently discourage real estate professionals from helping consumers” with short sales. The FTC will, however, continue to enforce the MARS Rule as to all other providers of mortgage assistance relief services, and also as against real estate professionals doing loan modifications or other types of mortgage assistance relief services.
Next week, on July 21, 2011, the FTC’s rulemaking authority for MARS will be transferred to the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), but the FTC will continue to enforce the Rule. The CFPB will have the authority to determine whether to change the MARS Rule as it applies to real estate professionals conducting short sales.
The FTC’s News Release is available at http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2011/07/mars.shtm
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