Seller concession vs seller contribution

[velma]

What is the difference between a seller concession vs seller contribution at closing for a real estate deal? I read an article on Marketwatch (WSJ) earlier today saying that they are different.

I've also heard a real estate lawyer say that if you misrepresent the price in a closing document, that would be fraud. However, he says that if the contract is clear about the nature of the deal then there is no fraud.

Can someone clarify this?

[Eddie McGowan]

There is no difference, they mean the same thing. I'd love to read that article if you can attach a copy.

In NYS, any time the seller is "conceding" a portion of the sales price, that must be made clear on the first page of the contract and it must be reflected in the CD (closing disclosure). It would be loan fraud (nationwide) if it was not so disclosed, and the buyer's and seller's attorneys (in NYS) might also be responsible for an ethics violation as well.