Mortgage Delinquencies, Foreclosure Activity on the Rise

Despite an increasingly moderate housing market, affordability is still a major concern for many households. As a result, both nationwide foreclosure activity and mortgage delinquencies were on the rise in August. According to recent report from ICE Mortgage Technology, the national delinquency rate rose by 16 basis points in August to 3.4%. However, the report suggests that the rise in the national delinquency rate could be partially due to the delayed processing of end-of-month payments because August ended on a Sunday. 

Foreclosure activity also climbed during this period. Foreclosure starts rose by 6% year-over-year for the ninth consecutive month, and foreclosure sales grew by 22.5% from the same time last year for the sixth consecutive month.

Serious delinquencies (loans 90+ days past due but not in foreclosure) rose by 16,000 in August and are up 32,000 year over year, while loans in active foreclosure increased by 3,000 for the month and 23,000 since last year.