Delinquency rates (on mortgages 30 or more days past due, but not in foreclosure) have been the brightest light in the gloomy foreclosure picture over the past year. Two new reports confirm that delinquencies are falling to pre-recession levels, a sign that the economy is steadily improving and the end of the foreclosure plague may be in sight. Read More »

Not so long ago, foreclosures were rare and mortgage-backed securities were considered sleepy, conservative, super low risk investments. In fact, there is reason to hope that the end of the multi-year foreclosure nightmare is finally in sight. The flow of future foreclosures has steadily slowed over the past year. Delinquency and default rates have been falling consistently. Read More »

A report by Lender Processing Services today confirms Fitch Ratings’ analysis yesterday that the volume of defaulted loans moving to REO status has fallen to a trickle as a consequence of the Robo-gate scandal, contributing to a backlog of foreclosures that threatens to reverse the overall decrease in foreclosure inventory caused by the steady decline in new delinquencies last year. Read More »

Fall-out from the scandal known as “Robo-gate” will lengthen the time frame for clearing all the current non-agency inventory of distressed properties to four years, according to a new report today by Fitch Ratings. Read More »

Homeowners who modified their mortgages under government’s Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP) are staying current on their loans at a far better rate than critics expected and are outperforming industry modifications, according to the largest data from the Treasury Department. Read More »

Things were looking up for luxury home sales during the tax credit boomlet last year. However, the credit wasn’t the primary reason; after all, $4000 isn’t a compelling incentive to well-heeled move up buyers in the million dollar plus housing bracket. Read More »

The Federal Reserve is moving ahead with plans to change the right-of-rescission rule as part of the Truth in Lending Act (TILA) despite intense outcry from consumer advocates and top members of the Senate Banking Committee. Read More »

The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) offers new guidance for homeowners and lenders for borrowers with reverse mortgages falling behind on property taxes and insurance premiums, placing them at risk of foreclosure. “We understand that some senior citizens have not paid their taxes or insurance for some time and may be at risk of losing their home,” said FHA Commissioner David … Read More »

“Not since the Great Depression has an economic downturn and the accompanying foreclosure crisis left so many lives in ruins. How can individuals and families find the resources and support they need to put their lives back in order?” asks A Resource Guide for Foreclosure Recovery, a 25-page handbook published by the Community Affairs division of the Federal Reserve Bank … Read More »

All loss mitigators are not created equal. The odds of curing a foreclosure and avoiding redefault are 1.7 times better for homeowners enrolled in the National Foreclosure Mitigation Counseling (NFMC) Program than for homeowners who do not receiving such counseling, according to the Urban Institute. The group released a report yesterday analyzing the NFMC program December 2009. NeighborWorks America is … Read More »