Advertising Rules


Advertising a Down Payment Triggers Additional Disclosures

If your company wants to advertise a three percent down payment that can be used to purchase a new home, this reference of the three percent down payment triggers additional disclosures.

What needs to be disclosed? The Annual Percentage Rate (APR) and the “terms of the repayment” need to be disclosed.

But what the heck are the terms of the repayment? Is this the loan term, the loan product type? The interest rate?

Here’s the answer:
2. Disclosure of repayment terms. The phrase “terms of repayment” generally has the same meaning as the “payment schedule” required to be disclosed under §1026.18(g). Section 1026.24(d)(2)(ii) provides flexibility to creditors in making this disclosure for advertising purposes. Repayment terms may be expressed in a variety of ways in addition to an exact repayment schedule; this is particularly true for advertisements that do not contemplate a single specific transaction. Repayment terms, however, must reflect the consumer’s repayment obligations over the full term of the loan, including any balloon payment, see comment 24(d)(2)–3, not just the repayment terms that will apply for a limited period of time. For example:

i. A creditor may use a unit-cost approach in making the required disclosure, such as “48 monthly payments of $27.83 per $1,000 borrowed.”

ii. In an advertisement for credit secured by a dwelling, when any series of payments varies because of the inclusion of mortgage insurance premiums, a creditor may state the number and timing of payments, the fact that payments do not include amounts for mortgage insurance premiums, and that the actual payment obligation will be higher.


Adjustable Rate Mortgages ARM Disclosure Rules

Advertising ARM loans is complicated because you have to have a bunch of detailed disclosures in your ad about how the ARM product works. For example, the Rules in Regulation Z require that you show your customer when the payment on the loan can change, how the payment can change, and give them some ideas about how much the payment can change. See our new article that discusses ways to comply with these rules:

ARM Disclosure Rules


Disclosure Requirements – State Required Disclosures in a Mailer Piece

Not all states have a disclosure requirement. You should disclose the following in all ads:

  • The licensed name of your company
  • Your company’s licensed address
  • Your toll free phone number
  • NMLS ID #
  • Equal Housing Lender Logo

Here’s an example of state required Disclosures for a 50 state licenses mortgage lender. Check with your compliance officer or attorney when preparing your version of such a provision in your mortgage ads. This sample will help you get on your way to having a fifty state required disclosure for mailer type mortgage ad mailed nation wide.

Here it is:

 

All loan programs are offered by Main Street Mortgage, Inc. 33 Main Street, Anytown, Pennsylvania, Zip. 888-555-5555/  All loans will be secured by a lien against your property. Not all applicants will be approved. Terms and conditions apply, call for details. AZ Mortgage Banker License No. 1234567; Licensed by the Department of Business Oversight under the California Residential Mortgage Lending Act License No. 1234567; Regulated by the Colorado Division of Real Estate; GA Residential Mortgage License No. 1234567; IL Residential Mortgage Licensee # 1234567; IL Residential Mortgage Licensee MB.1234567 – Department of Financial Regulation; MA Mortgage Lender & Mortgage Broker License No. MC1234567; Licensed by the Mississippi Department of Banking and Consumer Finance; Licensed by the New Hampshire Banking Department; NJ Residential Mortgage Lender License; Licensed Mortgage Banker – NYS Department of Financial Services; OH Mortgage Broker Act Mortgage Banker Exemption No. MBMB.1234567; OR Mortgage Lender License # ML-1234567; Rhode Island Licensed Lender; VA Exempt Company Registration; WA Consumer Loan License No. CL-1234567; NMLS No. 1234567.