Distressed

Retroactive interpretations have bedeviled mortgage servicers and the market for older loans. The industry will be watching other cases in New York closely now.

The latest reports from ICE Mortgage Technology and VantageScore appear to be in line with hints at growing borrower pressure officials are eyeing in policy.

Consumers are 19% more likely to pay their auto loans than their mortgages, which is a shift in attitude from the pandemic period, FICO said.

Getting a dwindling number of mortgages distressed for over a year off the books could improve the enterprises' financial position.

Premiums for property insurance have risen over 69% since 2019, far outpacing other components of the monthly mortgage payment, ICE Mortgage Technology found.

Mortgage delinquency rates increased versus the second quarter of 2024, with certain markets, especially in the South, reporting higher levels of difficulty.

By looking at the payment-to-income ratio on credit cards, as well as student loans and HELOCs, Transunion says servicers can predict future delinquency trends.

A Redfin survey found that no matter what age demographic, owners are in a better situation to make their payments compared to renters.

While the overall delinquency rate improved this summer, FHA-backed mortgage borrowers continued to exhibit concerning levels of payment stress in July.

The share of investor-owned properties sitting empty is greater than the vacancy rate for the nation's housing market, according to Attom Data Solutions.

While overall performance looks solid, the data shows the weight of economic concerns may be weighing on some borrowers, the Mortgage Bankers Association said.

New insurance written at the six private mortgage insurers increased by only 2% year-over-year, a sign of the sluggish home sales market at the low end.

GSE loans acquired in the period have higher loan-to-value and debt-to-income ratios and lower credit scores, which Milliman said boosted serious default risk.

While rising national home values leave close to half of owners on solid financial footing, growth in seriously underwater loans points to pockets of stress.

While foreclosure numbers in the first six months of this year were up compared to 2024, starts eased as the spring progressed, according to Attom.

Calls for foreclosure prevention advice jumped upward by almost 30% from a year ago and helped fuel overall consumer distress levels to a five-year high.

While still remaining relatively bullish on the sector because of its strong performance year-to-date, all five companies' stock outlook is at "market perform."

As the housing market cools, a rise in delinquency rates and underwater mortgages could be a foreboding sign for the future.

Foreclosure prevention at the government-sponsored enterprises and Federal Housing Administration is less expensive than the alternative, two studies show.

While consumer distress in auto and personal loans also picked up, the pace of growth among mortgages was atypical, Vantagescore's monthly credit gauge said.