Black Knight: Equity Won’t Save Homeowners From Foreclosure

Huge equity increases for homeowners might not be enough to prevent foreclosures, according to Black Knight’s latest Mortgage Monitor Report. “An analysis of our McDash loan-level mortgage performance dataset back to 2007 shows that holding equity in one’s home might not be a blanket backstop to foreclosure activity,” said Black Knight Data & Analytics President Ben Graboske.  He explained that for homeowners who were 120 or more days late, having high equity did not significantly change the likelihood of being recommended for foreclosure. While borrowers are considerably less likely to have their homes involuntarily liquidated if they have high equity, it does happen. Thirty percent of borrowers recommended for foreclosure with 40% equity stakes lost their homes. “What the data…

Freddie’s Forecast: “Highly Uncertain”

Low mortgage rates. Slower home sales. Slower price growth. That’s what Freddie Mac’s quarterly forecast released Tuesday is calling for, as markets have been hit by the COVID-19 pandemic – with home sales and price growth declining in the last few months. “While the housing market undoubtedly has felt the effects of COVID-19, we are encouraged by recent homebuyer demand as well as mortgage rates that should remain at record lows for the foreseeable future,” Freddie Mac Chief Economist Sam Khater said. “However, beyond the initial rebound in the housing market, the economic and housing outlook will be heavily impacted by the prospects for a vaccine, fiscal policy and the underlying organic recovery of the economy which, in combination, make…