(a) In addition to the loan fee required pursuant to 38 U.S.C. 3729, if any, the Secretary may, in connection with the origination of a vendee loan, charge a borrower a loan origination fee not to exceed one-and-a-half percent of the loan amount.

(b) All or part of such fee may be paid in cash at loan closing or all or part may be included in the loan. The Secretary will not increase the loan origination fee because the borrower chooses to include such fee in the loan amount financed.

(c) In no event may the total fee agreed upon between the Secretary and the borrower result in an amount that will cause the loan to be designated as a high-cost mortgage as defined in 15 U.S.C. 1602(bb) and 12 CFR part 1026.

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 2041, 3720, 3733)

[82 FR 35904, Aug. 2, 2017]