News release: “Six federal financial regulatory agencies today issued a proposed rule that would create exemptions from certain appraisal requirements for a subset of higher-priced mortgage loans. The proposed exemptions are intended to save borrowers time and money and to promote the safety and soundness of creditors. The appraisal requirements for higher-priced mortgages were imposed by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act). Under the Dodd-Frank Act, mortgage loans are considered to be higher-priced if they are secured by a consumer’s home and have interest rates above a certain threshold. The proposed rule would provide that the following three types of higher-priced mortgage loans would be exempt from the Dodd-Frank Act appraisal requirements: loans of $25,000 or less; certain “streamlined” refinancings; and certain loans secured by manufactured housing.”