N.J. Stat. tit. 46, ch. 10A

N.J. Stat. § 46:10A-1 Demanding or exacting money or other valuable thing for making or obtaining mortgage loan

Whenever any agreement for the sale of real estate is conditioned upon any person named therein obtaining a mortgage loan upon such real estate in order that he may perform such agreement on his part, it shall be unlawful for any person to demand or exact for himself, or for any other person, from any party named in said agreement, any sum of money, or other valuable thing, for the making or obtaining of such loan, or in connection with the closing or final settlement pursuant to said agreement other than is provided in said agreement, unless written notice of the sum or thing which will be exacted or demanded, and the person from whom it will be exacted and demanded, shall be served upon each party to said agreement not less than 12 days before said closing or final settlement provided, however, that where final settlement or closing is to take place at a time less than 12 days after the date of said agreement, the written notice required by this act shall be served upon each party immediately upon the signing of said agreement. The provisions of this act shall apply to premiums, discounts, commissions and other such charges exacted from any party to the agreement, as a consideration for making a loan, but shall not apply to reasonable and customary fees for title examination, and all necessary documents in connection therewith, legal fees, survey, appraisal fees and pro rata portion of the ground rents, hazard insurance premiums, current year's taxes and other prepaid items normally involved in financing such transactions. L.1960, c. 179, p. 722, s. 1, eff. Jan. 18, 1961.

N.J. Stat. § 46:10A-2 Violators as disorderly persons

Any person who violates any provision of this act shall be a disorderly person, and any payment or thing paid or exacted in violation of this act may be recovered from the person receiving the same, in a civil action, with treble damages measured by the amount or value thereof. L.1960, c. 179, p. 723, s. 2.

N.J. Stat. § 46:10A-3 Issuance of mortgagee title insurance policy required; notice to mortgagor

Whenever in connection with the making of a real estate purchase money mortgage loan upon a 1, 2, 3 or 4 family dwelling house for a term exceeding 2 years, the mortgagee requires the issuance of a mortgagee policy of title insurance, the company issuing the policy of title insurance shall prior to the disbursement of the mortgage funds cause the mortgagor to be advised in writing of the fact that a mortgagee title insurance policy is to be issued, the name or names of the insured under said policy, and of the face amount of such policy. Such notice shall also advise the mortgagor of his right and opportunity to obtain title insurance in his own favor if the same has not already been ordered or obtained. L.1964, c. 100, s. 1.

N.J. Stat. § 46:10A-4 Statement of receipt of notice by mortgagor

At or before the closing of the mortgage loan transaction the company issuing the title insurance shall obtain from the mortgagor a statement in writing that he has received the notice required under section 1 of this act. L.1964, c. 100, s. 2.

N.J. Stat. § 46:10A-5 Violation; penalty

If the company issuing the mortgagee policy of title insurance shall fail to comply with the provisions of section 1 of this act the said company shall forfeit to the State of New Jersey the sum of $100.00, to be recovered with costs in a civil action to be prosecuted by the Attorney General who shall prosecute such actions whenever it shall appear that this act has been violated. L.1964, c. 100, s. 3.

N.J. Stat. § 46:10A-6 Borrower to choose own attorney; fees; disclosure; definitions

1. a. No banking institution, other financial institution or other lender, which is licensed or authorized under the laws of this State or of the United States to engage in the business of making loans secured by mortgage, or which has an office in this State for that purpose, which institution or other lender is hereinafter referred to as a "lender," shall require a borrower to employ the services of the lender's counsel or an attorney specified by the lender with respect to such a loan secured by real property from the lender to the borrower if some or all of the collateral is located in this State. b. If a lender makes a written offer to a borrower to make a loan secured by real property located in this State, the lender shall disclose, in writing, prominently and in bold type, to the borrower before the acceptance of the offer by the borrower, that the interests of the borrower and lender are or may be different and may conflict, and that the lender's attorney represents only the lender and not the borrower and the borrower is, therefore, advised to employ an attorney of the borrower's choice licensed to practice law in this State to represent the interests of the borrower. c. If a lender makes a written offer to a borrower to make a loan secured by real property located in this State, the lender shall disclose in writing as part of the loan commitment, or within 10 days after the issuance of the commitment, to the borrower and before the acceptance of the commitment by the borrower: (1) the basis for the determination of any charge which the borrower will be required to pay the lender's attorney for services provided to the lender in connection with that loan; and (2) a good faith estimate of any charge which the borrower will be expected to pay to the lender's attorney for the services specified in paragraph (1) of this subsection c. If the good faith estimate supplied to the borrower by the lender pursuant to paragraph (2) of this subsection c. will be materially exceeded, the lender shall notify the borrower of the increase at the time the lender becomes aware of the change and, to the extent feasible, at least prior to closing of the loan. The failure of the lender to advise the borrower of an increase in the estimate shall preclude the lender from seeking payment of the excess from the borrower. The failure to give a good faith estimate or to advise the borrower of additional charges shall not affect the validity or enforceability of the loan commitment, the loan, or the security for the loan. d. If a loan is made to a person or persons primarily for personal, family or household purposes and is secured by real property located in this State: (1) on which the principal structure is a one-to-four family residence; or (2) on which a one-to-four family residence is to be the principal structure to be constructed with the use of the loan proceeds, the lender shall not require the borrower to reimburse the lender for, or to pay all or any portion of, any fee or expense charged by the lender's attorney except to the extent of a fee for the review of the loan documents prepared or submitted by or at the direction of the borrower's attorney or such other work or services as requested by the borrower or the borrower's attorney. Any other legal fee or expense of the lender's attorney shall be the sole responsibility of the lender. For the purposes of this subsection, "loan document" means a promissory note, loan agreement, mortgage, affidavit of title, power of attorney, survey and survey affidavit, title documents and searches and commitments for title insurance and modification of any promissory note, mortgage or loan agreement. e. If a loan is secured by real property and is not subject to subsection d. of this section, the lender and borrower may agree that the borrower shall reimburse the lender or pay directly for all or any part of the fees and expenses incurred with respect to the loan transaction, including, but not limited to, the fees and expenses of the lender's attorney. f. If, pursuant to the provisions of this section, a borrower is required to reimburse for or pay the fees and expenses of the lender's attorney for services performed in connection with a loan secured by real property, all such fees and expenses shall be reasonable as defined by the Rules of Professional Conduct adopted by the Supreme Court of New Jersey. g. (1) The provisions of this section shall not apply to secondary mortgage loans secured by real property which are made pursuant to P.L.1970, c.205 (C.17:11A-34 et seq.), section 24 of P.L.1948, c.67 (C.17:9A-24) or section 155 of P.L.1963, c.144 (C.17:12B-155) or which are similar secondary mortgage loans made by lenders pursuant to other authority. (2) The provisions of this section shall not be deemed to permit any attorney's fee or charge or other charge or permit any action otherwise prohibited or limited by any other applicable law or regulation, including, but not limited to, the "Consumer Loan Act," R.S.17:10-1 et seq., the "Retail Installment Sales Act of 1960," P.L.1960, c.40 (C.17:16C-1 et seq.), the "pawnbroking law," R.S.45:22-1 et seq., Article 12 of "The Banking Act of 1948," P.L.1948, c.67 (C.17:9A-53 et seq.) and P.L.1959, c.91 (C.17:9A-59.1 et seq.). (3) For purposes of this section, "written offer" includes a written commitment to make a loan. L.1975,c.145,s.1; amended 1978,c.65,s.2; 1993,c.33,s.1.