Preferred-Lender Arrangements - Coloring within the Lines of RESPA.

The article reports on the a proliferation of arrangements in which a party in a position to make referrals expresses a preference for another party who is in a position to receive referrals. It discusses the provisions of unearned fees the parties that make referrals under the U.S. Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA). It discusses how the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's (CFPB) Regulation X implements RESPA.