WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration wants to make residential real estate transactions more transparent by unmasking the owners of certain all-cash purchases.
It's part of an ongoing effort to combat money laundering and the movement of dirty money through the American financial system.
The Treasury Department's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network proposed a regulation on Wednesday that would require real estate professionals to report information to the agency about non-financed sales of residential real estate to legal entities, trusts and shell companies.
All-cash purchases of residential real estate are considered at high risk for money laundering.
One study on the impact of money laundering on home values in Canada, conducted by a group of Canadian academics, found that money laundering investment in real estate pushed up housing prices in the range of 3.7% to 7.5%.
Persons:
—, Biden, ”, Andrea Gacki, Ian Gary, Janet Yellen
Organizations:
WASHINGTON, Treasury, Network, House, FACT Coalition, Small Business Association
Locations:
Canada, U.S