(A) As used in this section:

(1) "Discount points" means any charges, whether or not actually denominated as "discount points," that are paid by the seller or the buyer of residential real property to a residential mortgage lender or that are deducted and retained by a residential mortgage lender from the proceeds of the residential mortgage. "Discount points" does not include the costs associated with settlement services as defined in the "Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act of 1974," 88 Stat. 1724, 12 U.S.C. 2601, amendments thereto, reenactments thereof, enactments parallel thereto, or in substitution therefor, or regulations issued thereunder.

(2) "Residential mortgage" means an obligation to pay a sum of money evidenced by a note and secured by a lien upon real property located within this state containing two or fewer residential units or on which two or fewer residential units are to be constructed and includes such an obligation on a residential condominium or cooperative unit.

(3) "Residential mortgage lender" means any person, bank, or savings and loan association that lends money or extends or grants credit and obtains a residential mortgage to assure payment of the debt. The term also includes the holder at any time of a residential mortgage obligation.

(B) Except residential mortgage loans described in division (B)(3) of section 1343.01 of the Revised Code, no residential mortgage lender shall receive either directly or indirectly from a seller or buyer of real estate any discount points in excess of two per cent of the original principal amount of the residential mortgage. This division is not a limitation on discount points or other charges for purposes of section 501(b)(4) of the "Depository Institutions Deregulation and Monetary Control Act of 1980," 94 Stat. 161, 12 U.S.C.A. 1735f-7 a.

(C)

(1) Except as provided in division (C)(2) of this section, residential mortgage obligations may be prepaid or refinanced without penalty at any time after five years from the execution date of the mortgage. Prior to such time a prepayment or refinancing penalty may be provided not in excess of one per cent of the original principal amount of the residential mortgage.

(2)

(a) No penalty may be charged for the prepayment or refinancing of a residential mortgage obligation of less than seventy-five thousand dollars that is made or arranged by a mortgage broker, loan officer, or nonbank mortgage lender, as those terms are defined in section 1345.01 of the Revised Code, and that is secured by a mortgage on a borrower's real estate that is a first lien on the real estate.

(b) The amount specified in division (C)(2)(a) of this section shall be adjusted annually on the first day of January by the annual percentage change in the consumer price index for all urban consumers, midwest region, all items, as determined by the bureau of labor statistics of the United States department of labor or, if that index is no longer published, a generally available comparable index, as reported on the first day of June of the year preceding the adjustment. The department of commerce shall publish the adjusted amounts on its official web site.

Amended by 128th General AssemblyFile No.17, SB 124, §1, eff. 12/28/2009.

Amended by 128th General AssemblyFile No.9, HB 1, §101.01, eff. 10/16/2009.

Effective Date: 03-18-1999; 01-01-2007

Related Legislative Provision: See 128th General AssemblyFile No.17, SB 124, §5 .

See 128th General AssemblyFile No.9, HB 1, §745.60.