The Maryland Office of the Attorney General has charged a Florida-based real estate firm with deceptive trade practices and other consumer protection-related counts, accusing MV Realty of misleading Maryland homeowners into predatory loan agreements with intentionally obscure terms.

The charges center on MV Realty’s “Homeowner Benefit Agreements,” in which the company advanced up to $5,000 in exchange for exclusive real estate listing rights to customers’ homes for 40 years. Those in violation of the terms — on purpose or by accident, owners or heirs — are required to pay at least 3% of the home value upon sale or transfer.

Attorney General Anthony Brown is pursuing a cease and desist order, termination of the past agreements and liens, as well as restitution for consumers, according to a Friday news release. Attorneys general in New Jersey, California, Massachusetts, Florida and Pennsylvania have also taken action against the company in recent years.

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