Forbearances Fell 11% In January, But New Requests Are Rising

The number of loans in forbearance fell 11% in January to 1.30% of servicers’ portfolio volume, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Loan Monitoring Survey. MBA now estimates that 650,000 homeowners remain in forbearance plans. This is the second consecutive month that forbearance exits hit a new low since June 2020. Of Fannie and Freddie loans, the number in forbearance dropped 4 basis points to 0.68%. Ginnie Mae loans saw a 3 basis point drop to 1.60%, while PLS and portfolio loans saw a 41 point decline to 3.02%. But re-entries and new forbearance requests rose, especially for Ginnie Mae loans. While forbearances keep falling, January saw the smallest monthly decline in a year. Of all forborne loans, 26.8%…

Mid-Month Restart Activity Pushes Forbearance Plans Up

Active forbearance plans rose by 11,500 plans (1.5%) last week, following a “typical pattern of mid-month restart activity”, according to Black Knight’s blog, Vision. Forborne loans held by portfolios and PSLs increased by 7,600 (3.1%), while FHA/VA loans in forbearance rose by 4,900 (1.8%). In contrast, GSE plans actually fell by 1,000 (-0.4%). Plan volumes are down 38,100 (-4.7%) month-over-month. Black Knight notes that as many homeowners have already exited their plans, expiration activity is slowing. Moderating improvement is the result of this “gradually flattening slope.” Some 129,000 plans are up for review in early March, the next time Black Knight expects to see significant improvement. One-third should expire.  ATTOM Data Solutions reported that foreclosure-related filings jumped 29% from December and…

Morning Roundup (2/14/2022)– Falling In Love With Homes To Have Your Heart Broken?

Good Morning! Today is Monday, February 14. Happy Valentine’s Day. The Los Angeles Rams beat the Cincinnati Bengals in the 56th Super Bowl. A crucial roadway for U.S.-Canadian trade reopened Sunday after authorities cleared a weekend blockade protesting vaccine mandates. “Ghostbusters” producer Ivan Reitman has died at 75. The Mortgage Note Reports Falling In Love With Homes To Have Your Heart Broken?: This Valentine’s Day, if your heart is broken because you keep falling in love with homes to lose them to other buyers, you are not alone. Here’s some advice. Delinquencies Down In Q4: MBA reported that delinquencies on residential properties fell to 4.65% of all outstanding loans in Q4 2021. New Freddie Leaders: Freddie Mac announced that Kevin…

Delinquencies Fell To 4.65% In Q4 2021

Delinquencies on residential properties fell to 4.65% of all outstanding loans in Q4 2021, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) National Delinquency Survey. The delinquency rate fell 23 basis points from Q3 2021 and 208 basis points year-over-year (YOY). Q4’s delinquency rate was 67 basis points lower than MBA’s survey average of 5.32%, while the rate for seriously delinquent loans was 2.83%, close to the longer-term average of 2.80%. MBA’s survey classifies loans as delinquent if the payment was not made based on the original terms of the mortgage. “Mortgage delinquencies descended in the final three months of 2021, reaching levels at or below MBA’s survey averages dating back to 1979,” said Marina Walsh, CMB, MBA’s Vice President of…

Morning Roundup (2/11/2022)– Forbearances Down, Rates Up

Good Morning! Today is Friday, February 11. Biden is moving to split $7 billion in frozen Afghan funds between 9/11 victims’ families and humanitarian aid in Afghanistan. Congress passed a bipartisan bill giving survivors of sexual misconduct greater rights to sue. Super Bowl LVI is poised to be the most bet upon game in football history as the legalization of sports betting grows. The Mortgage Note Reports Which City Would Win In The Super Bowl Of Housing Markets?: It’s Super Bowl weekend and The Mortgage Note is taking a look at which city would win if Los Angeles and Cincinnati’s housing markets were pitted against each other. Black Knight: Forbearance plans fell by 4% last week, slowing as the number of active…

Forbearance Plans Drop

Active forbearance plans fell by 29,000 plans (-4%) last week, according to Black Knight’s blog, Vision. Forborne loans held by portfolios and PSL dropped 22,000 (-8%), while GSE plans fell by 8,000 (-2%). FHA/VA loans in forbearance fell by 1,000 (0.4%). After falling last week, restarts once again rose while new plan starts remained the same. Plan volumes are down 18,000 (-2%) month-over-month. Black Knight notes that as many homeowners have already exited their plans, expiration activity will slow. Moderating improvement is the result of this “gradually flattening slope.” Some 150,000 plans are up for review in the coming weeks, with a third expected to expire.  In a recent webinar, RealtyTrac EVP Rick Sharga and Mortgage Policy Advisors Managing Director…

Morning Roundup (2/9/2022)– Applications Down, Rocket Superbowl Ad

Good Morning! Today is Wednesday, February 9. New York State will drop its indoor mask mandate this week. Mitch McConnell denounced the RNC’s characterization of Jan. 6 as “legitimate political discourse.” The House passed a bipartisan bill to keep the Postal Service solvent and to reduce mail delays. The Mortgage Note Reports Gearing Up For The Big Game: Leaders at Rocket are inviting people to take a peek at the homes they could buy if they win the world’s largest official game of Super Bowl Squares and they have revealed which stars will appear in their ad. 2022 Expectations: Home price appreciation and stock shortages are likely to continue through the first few months of 2022, as December saw price growth pick back up…

Morning Roundup (2/4/2022)– Forbearances Drop, Rates Stay The Same

Good Morning! Today is Friday, February 4. Islamic State’s leader died during a nighttime raid by U.S. special forces in northwestern Syria. The US is short on blood due to below-average donations amid Covid-19. The House is set to approve a $350 billion initiative to boost U.S. competitiveness with China and others, but the Senate may fight it. The Mortgage Note Reports Standing Up For Independent Mortgage Bankers In 2022 And Beyond:The executive director of Community Home Lenders Association is working to educate policymakers in Washington, D.C., while articulating the perspective of independent mortgage bankers. Forbearances Drop: Active forbearance plans fell by 45,000 plans (-5%) last week, according to Black Knight’s blog, Vision. More than 90% of homeowners who entered Covid-related forbearance…

Forbearances Fall Heading Into February

Active forbearance plans fell by 45,000 plans (-5%) last week, according to Black Knight’s blog, Vision. GSE plans fell by 24,000 (-9%), while forborne loans held by portfolios and PSL dropped 12,000 (4%). FHA/VA loans in forbearance fell by 3%, or 10,000 plans. New plan starts and restarts also decreased after weeks of climbing. In a recent webinar, RealtyTrac EVP Rick Sharga and Mortgage Policy Advisors Managing Director and Five Star Global Chairman Ed Delgado predicted 2022 would look much like 2021, with low rates of new forbearance plans and serious delinquencies. “The presumption at the start of the pandemic was that there was going to be this gradual swelling of foreclosures, as forbearances expired and consumers had nowhere to…

Morning Roundup (1/28/2022)– Forbearance Plans Up, Rates Flat

Good Morning! Today is Friday, January 28. Economic output in the U.S. grew 5.7% over the past year, the biggest annual increase in decades. Biden told Ukraine’s president that the U.S. was ready to respond forcefully to any Russian aggression. A federal judge revoked Gulf of Mexico oil and gas leases, ruling the Biden administration failed to consider climate change when it sold them. The Mortgage Note Reports Predicting The Future: Higher interest rates will be a big issue for homebuyers in 2022. Will they drive down mortgage business? Rates Settle: After weeks of steadily rising, interests rates stayed steady last week, averaging 3.55%. Black Knight: Forbearance exits rose for the second week in a row, up by 19,000 plans…