K.S.A. § 9-2201 — KS Code / Chapter 9 / Article 22 / Section 9-2201
9-2201 - Definitions.
Status: in_force

9-2201. Definitions. As used in this act:

(a) "Act" means the Kansas mortgage business act.

(b) "Amount financed" means the net amount of credit provided to the consumer or on the consumer's behalf. The amount financed shall be calculated as provided in rules and regulations adopted by the commissioner pursuant to K.S.A. 9-2209, and amendments thereto.

(c) "Annual percentage rate" shall have the same meaning, be interpreted in the same manner and be calculated using the same methodology as prescribed by 15 U.S.C. § 1606.

(d) "Applicant" means a person who has submitted an application for a license to engage in mortgage business or a person who has submitted an application for registration to conduct mortgage business in this state as a loan originator.

(e) "Appraised value" means, with respect to any real estate at any time:

(1) The total appraised value of the real estate, as reflected in the most recent records of the tax assessor of the county in which the real estate is located;

(2) the fair market value of the real estate, as reflected in a written appraisal of the real estate performed by a Kansas licensed or certified appraiser within the past 12 months; or

(3) in the case of a nonpurchase-money real estate transaction, the estimated market value as determined through a method acceptable to the commissioner. In determining the acceptability of the method, the commissioner shall consider the reliability and impartiality of the method under the circumstances. The commissioner may consider industry standards or customs. A method shall not be acceptable if the resulting value is predetermined or when the fee to be paid to the method provider is contingent upon the property valuation reached or upon the consequences resulting from the property valuation reached.

(f) "Balloon payment" means any required payment that is more than twice as large as the average of all earlier scheduled payments.

(g) "Branch office" means a place of business, other than a principal place of business, where the mortgage company maintains a physical location for the purpose of conducting mortgage business with the public.

(h) "Closed-end covered transaction" means the same as in 12 C.F.R. 1026.2(a)(10).

(i) "Closing costs" means:

(1) The actual fees paid to a public official or agency of the state or federal government for filing, recording or releasing any instrument relating to the debt; and

(2) bona fide and reasonable expenses incurred by the mortgage company in connection with the making, closing, disbursing, extending, readjusting or renewing the debt that are payable to third parties not related to the mortgage company. Reasonable fees for an appraisal made by the mortgage company or related party are permissible.

(j) (1) "Code mortgage rate" means the greater of:

(A) 12%; or

(B) the sum of:

(i) The required net yield published by the federal national mortgage association for 60-day mandatory delivery whole-loan commitments for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with actual remittance on the first day for which the required net yield was published in the previous month; and

(ii) 5%.

(2) If the reference rate referred to in clause (i)(1)(B)(i)* is discontinued, becomes impractical to use, or is otherwise not readily ascertainable for any reason, the commissioner may designate a comparable replacement reference rate and, upon publishing notice of the same, such replacement reference rate shall become the reference rate referred to in clause (i)(1)(B)(i)*. The secretary of state shall publish notice of the code mortgage rate not later than the second issue of the Kansas register published each month.

(k) "Commissioner" means the state bank commissioner or designee, who shall be the deputy commissioner of the consumer and mortgage lending division of the office of the state bank commissioner.

(l) "Consumer" means an individual to whom credit is offered or granted under this act.

(m) "Covered transaction" means a mortgage loan that:

(1) Is a subordinate mortgage;

(2) has a loan-to-value ratio at the time when made that exceeds 100%, except for any loan guaranteed by a federal government agency of the United States; or

(3) in the case of K.S.A. 2025 Supp. 9-2231, and amendments thereto, the annual percentage rate of the loan exceeds the code mortgage rate.

(n) "Finance charge" means all charges payable directly or indirectly by the consumer and imposed directly or indirectly by the mortgage company as an incident to or as a condition of the extension of credit. The finance charge shall be calculated as provided in rules and regulations adopted by the commissioner pursuant to K.S.A. 9-2209, and amendments thereto.

(o) "Individual" means a human being.

(p) "Insufficient payment method" means any instrument as defined in K.S.A. 84-3-104, and amendments thereto, drawn on any financial institution for the payment of money and delivered in payment, in whole or in part, of preexisting indebtedness of the drawer or maker, which is refused payment by the drawee because the drawer or maker does not have sufficient funds in or credits with the drawee to pay the amount of the instrument upon presentation.

(q) "Installment" means a periodic payment required or permitted by agreement in connection with a covered transaction.

(r) "License" means a license issued by the commissioner to engage in mortgage business as a mortgage company.

(s) "Licensed mortgage company" means a mortgage company that has been licensed as required by this act.

(t) "Licensee" means a person who is licensed by the commissioner as a mortgage company.

(u) "Loan originator" means an individual:

(1) Who engages in mortgage business on behalf of a single mortgage company;

(2) whose conduct of mortgage business is the responsibility of the licensee;

(3) who takes a residential mortgage loan application or offers or negotiates terms of a residential mortgage loan for compensation or gain or in the expectation of compensation or gain; and

(4) whose job responsibilities include contact with borrowers during the loan origination process, which can include soliciting, negotiating, acquiring, arranging or making mortgage loans for others, obtaining personal or financial information, assisting with the preparation of mortgage loan applications or other documents, quoting loan rates or terms or providing required disclosures. It does not include any individual engaged solely as a loan processor or underwriter.

(v) "Loan processor or underwriter" means an individual who performs clerical or support duties as an employee at the direction and subject to the supervision and instruction of a person registered or exempt from registration under this act.

(1) For purposes of this subsection, the term "clerical or support duties" may include subsequent to the receipt of a mortgage loan application:

(A) The receipt, collection, distribution and analysis of information common for the processing or underwriting of a residential mortgage loan; and

(B) communicating with a consumer to obtain the information necessary for the processing or underwriting of a loan, to the extent that such communication does not include offering or negotiating loan rates or terms or counseling consumers about residential mortgage loan rates or terms.

(2) An individual engaging solely in loan processor or underwriter activities shall not represent to the public, through advertising or other means of communicating or providing information including the use of business cards, stationery, brochures, signs, rate lists or other promotional items, that such individual can or will perform any of the activities of a loan originator.

(w) "Loan-to-value ratio" means a fraction expressed as a percentage at any time:

(1) The numerator of which is the aggregate unpaid principal balance of all loans secured by a mortgage; and

(2) the denominator of which is the appraised value of the real estate.

(x) "Mortgage business" means engaging in, or holding out to the public as willing to engage in, for compensation or gain, or in the expectation of compensation or gain, directly or indirectly, the business of making, originating, servicing, soliciting, placing, negotiating, acquiring, selling, arranging for others, or holding the rights to or offering to solicit, place, negotiate, acquire, sell or arrange for others, mortgage loans in the primary market.

(y) "Mortgage company" means a person engaged in mortgage business.

(z) "Mortgage loan" means a loan or agreement to extend credit made to one or more persons which is secured by a first or subordinate mortgage, deed of trust, contract for deed or other similar instrument or document representing a security interest or lien, except as provided for in K.S.A. 60-1101 through 60-1110, and amendments thereto, upon any lot intended for residential purposes or a one-to-four family dwelling as defined in 15 U.S.C. § 1602(w), located in this state, occupied or intended to be occupied for residential purposes by the owner, including the renewal or refinancing of any such loan.

(aa) "Mortgage loan application" means the submission of a consumer's financial information, including, but not limited to, the consumer's name, income and social security number, to obtain a credit report, the property address, an estimate of the value of the property and the mortgage loan amount sought for the purpose of obtaining an extension of credit.

(bb) "Mortgage servicer" means any person engaged in mortgage servicing.

(cc) "Mortgage servicing" means collecting payment, remitting payment for another or the right to collect or remit payment of any of the following: Principal; interest; tax; insurance; or other payment under a mortgage loan.

(dd) "Nationwide mortgage licensing system and registry" means a mortgage licensing system developed and maintained by the conference of state bank supervisors and the American association of residential mortgage regulators for the licensing and registration of mortgage loan originators.

(ee) "Not-for-profit" means a business entity that is granted tax exempt status by the internal revenue service.

(ff) "Open-end covered transaction" means a covered transaction in which a mortgage company:

(1) Reasonably contemplates repeated transactions;

(2) may impose a finance charge from time to time on an outstanding unpaid balance; and

(3) extends an amount of credit to the consumer during the term of the mortgage loan, up to any set limit, that is generally made available to the extent that any outstanding balance is repaid.

(gg) "Person" means any individual, sole proprietorship, corporation, partnership, trust, association, joint venture, pool syndicate, unincorporated organization or other form of entity, however organized.

(hh) "Prepaid finance charge" means any finance charge paid separately before or at consummation of a transaction or withheld from the proceeds of the credit at any time.

(ii) "Principal" of a mortgage loan means the total of the amount financed and the prepaid finance charges, except that prepaid finance charges are not added to the amount financed to the extent such prepaid finance charges are paid separately by the consumer.

(jj) "Primary market" means the market wherein mortgage business is conducted including activities conducted by any person who assumes or accepts any mortgage business responsibilities of the original parties to the transaction.

(kk) "Principal place of business" means a place of business where mortgage business is conducted, which has been designated by a licensee as the primary headquarters from which all mortgage business and administrative activities are managed and directed.

(ll) "Promotional items" means pens, pencils, hats and other such novelty items.

(mm) "Registrant" means any individual who holds a valid registration to conduct mortgage business in this state as a loan originator on behalf of a licensed mortgage company.

(nn) "Related" with respect to a person means:

(1) A person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by or under common control of another person;

(2) an officer or director employed by the person performing similar functions with another person;

(3) a relative by blood, adoption or marriage of a person within the fourth degree of relationship; or

(4) an individual who shares the same home with such person.

(oo) "Remote location" means a location other than the principal place of business or a branch office where a licensed mortgage company's employee or independent contractor is authorized by such company to engage in mortgage business. A remote location is not considered a branch office.

(pp) "Unique identifier" means a number or other identifier assigned by protocols established by the nationwide mortgage licensing system and registry.