Feds set to crack down on realty referral deals

Boston Herald: WASHINGTON — Home buyers usually don’t have a clue about the existence of under-the-table marketing kickback deals, and they can end up paying hundreds or thousands of dollars extra at closings as a result. But now the federal government’s top consumer protection agency says too many customer referral games being played by some real estate brokers, mortgage lenders and title companies are illegal, and it plans to crack down on them.

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