@Jay Hinrichs
and everyone;
I have never endorsed anyone on BP, not that my 3 pounds of influence would count for anything, but I just haven't as I feel my reputation would be "on the line" in doing so, there are "liabilities" that go along with endorsements.
But, I will say that I'm beyond impressed with @Ken Rishel and his organization. He has not been as active on BP as I'd like to see, but I'm sure that means he's busy. What he has posted I have found to be accurate and correct. I trust what he has to say concerning Dodd-Frank and related regulatory issues, after all compliance is his business.
I see that Ken is on the/a "Dodd-Frank Task Force" not sure if that is a government type task force as is often formed between agencies and industry "experts" or if it is a private organization to study these regulatory matters. Either way, I have been in such groups and they usually will have concentrated activities that yield what I might call "inside information". He might touch on that.
The task force referred to is one set up by an national industry trade group (Manufactured Housing Institute) that is comprised of who they view as leaders in manufactured home finance. Being a part of this task force, gives "special credentials" of a sort with government agencies, because they are more likely to listen and sometimes defer to a group with a lot of power behind them.
As to Bill's point, we do have regular access to people working for the CFPB and I have attended and participated in semi closed meetings in which the CFPB, DOJ, FTC, and other federal agencies meet with state regulators to discuss regulation and enforcement. One of the benefits of being this involved is being privy to their thinking and what they are planning for the future.
While I plan on brushing up on this area after the dust settles if anyone is serious about seller financing as a business operation I'd suggest you get with Ken.
As to chattel financing, the collateral security is different than real estate and it's my understanding that there have been special provisions made for mobile home dealers, but all in all, I'd think that the underwriting and prudent lending aspects will be much the same, regardless of the classification of a consumer loan.
There are things that are very different in chattel lending on a residence, but there are many that are now the same as real estate mortgage lending. Some differences are because the MHI Dodd-Frank Task Force was able to negotiate exemptions or different rules (like the interest caps for "rebuttable presumption" protection and methods of appraisal) and some that were left the way they were prior to the SAFE Act and the Dodd-Frank Act by a lack of action to include chattel into a rule or regulation.
As one with a regulatory mind set, if I were to examine an organization doing real estate loans and found that they were in compliance adapting a structure or operation used in the mobile home industry, still in line with the intent of the law, I certainly wouldn't be alarmed. Ken and I are in different lanes of traffic, but we are going the same direction.
That might be more than 3 pounds worth, but I'd think getting on Ken's mailing list for his newsletter would be necessary reading for dealers or operators trying to do seller financing in this environment today.
There is a lot of bad information out there, there is somewhat of an art to interpreting financial rules, regulations and law and they are not written for public consumption, in fact, they aren't really written for the average attorney but for specialists in that arena. :)