“MBA forecasts a recession in 2023, but credit quality is generally good, and borrowers can access enhanced loss mitigation options.”
Why this is important: As the COVID-19 national emergency draws to a close, the forbearance rate has decreased month-over-month, according to a recent report from the Mortgage Bankers Association (“MBA”).
The total number of loans in forbearance in March decreased five basis points from February, dropping to 0.55 percent from 0.60 percent of servicers’ portfolio volume. About 275,000 homeowners were in forbearance plans as of March 31. The largest improvement was with Ginnie Mae loans in forbearance, which declined 10 basis points to 1.18 percent in March while the share of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans in forbearance decreased 2 basis points to 0.26 percent. Overall, the total for loans serviced that were current last month (i.e., not delinquent or in foreclosure) reached 96.35 percent of the portfolio, an increase of 59 basis points compared to February.
The report cited MBA’s forecast for a recession in 2023, which may change the current performance levels, but stressed that credit quality is generally good and many borrowers facing financial hardship can now access enhanced loss mitigation options that resulted from successes of pandemic-related policies.
After the government-sponsored enterprises completed more than one million COVID-19 payment deferrals, the Federal Housing Finance Agency said it was making mortgage payment deferrals a key part of its standard loss mitigation toolkit for borrowers with eligible hardships, including a recent announcement that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will enhance their payment deferral policies to allow borrowers facing financial hardship to defer up to six months of mortgage payments. --- Bryce J. Hunter
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