High loan costs, full and timely disclosure of all costs, and other issues raised in the survey are among those that in recent years have triggered complaints, class action and other civil suits against brokers and lenders.

So-called "predatory lending" (inappropriately expensive loans with fees that aren't clearly disclosed in a timely matter for those least likely to be able to afford such loans), most often a subset of subprime loans, has prompted the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to propose reforms for the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) with guaranteed mortgage cost packages.

Many individual brokers aren't waiting for the Bush Administration's reform and already offer guaranteed cost packages.

The National Association of Mortgage Brokers recently revealed a survey that says most brokers are poised to offer guaranteed packages and the association is prepared to help member brokers do so if HUD proceeds with the reform.

"Mortgage brokers provide retail lending services, including counseling borrowers on loan products...some mortgage brokers indicate that they work with a number of funding sources and are in a position to shop for the best loans for borrowers," the PPI report says.

"However, a concern has been raised that mortgage brokers may focus more on the short-term profitability incurred at the origination of the loan rather than on the long-term performance of the loan since they are intermediaries who do not hold loans through maturity," according to the PPI report.