Market Studies

The delinquency rate for commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS) moved up 12 basis points in June to 10.16 percent, reaching an all-time high, according to a report from Trepp. The delinquency rate includes loans 30 days delinquent or in foreclosure. In May, the rate surpassed 10 percent at 10.04 percent. A year ago, the delinquency rate was 9.37 percent and prior to breaking through the 10 percent barrier, the delinquency rate was 9.80 percent in April. Trepp cited weak performance among lodging, office and retail loans as reasons for the rise in the delinquency rate.

For the third month in a row, home prices posted both yearly and monthly gains, according to CoreLogic's May Home Price Index (HPI) report. When including distressed sales, home prices increased 2 percent in May from a year ago and rose 1.8 percent month-over-month. When excluding distressed sales, prices made even greater strides, with the year-over-year increase at 2.7 percent and month-over-month increase at 2.3 percent. Distressed sales include short sales and REO transactions. When excluding distressed sales, prices made even greater strides and are expected to continue increasing into June.

In San Bernardino County, an idea is being explored that would apply the concept of eminent domain to solve the problem of underwater homes in the area. Through eminent domain, the government can take private property from an owner if it can be argued that a greater public interest would be served by doing so. The use of eminent domain proposed in San Bernardino County involves the forced purchase of homes from underwater borrowers at ""fair"" market value.

After conducting a survey with current and former clients, YouWalkAway.com reported that lenders are taking longer before beginning the foreclosure process. The agency surveyed underwater homeowners it has or is working and found that from January 2012 to June 20, 2012, respondents who received a foreclosure start notice were 11 months behind on their payment. Last year, it took an average of 9 months of nonpayment before the foreclosure process started.

The number of completed foreclosures in May decreased yearly and increase slightly from the previous month, CoreLogic reported Friday. The number of completed foreclosures last month totaled 63,000 compared to 77,000 in May 2011 and 62,000 in April 2012. Since the financial crisis began in September 2008, 3.6 million homes have been lost to foreclosure. May also saw a yearly drop in the number of homes sitting in foreclosure inventory with about 1.4 million homes, or 3.4 percent, in foreclosure compared to 1.5 million, or 3.5 percent a year ago.

If it becomes law, a Senate bill could increase the number of homeowners who refinance under the Home Affordable Refinance Program by up to 13 million. That's the consensus reached by professors with Columbia University Business School, which released the study on Thursday. The study sketched the likely effects of a bill recently co-sponsored by Sens. Barbara Boxer and Robert Menendez. Researchers said that new HARP modifications could lead to roughly $35 billion in savings for homeowners, a number that could help stem the rate of foreclosure activity nationally.

Under federal policy, those who are behind on their taxes are ineligible for FHA mortgage insurance unless they repay their debt or are in a valid repayment agreement with the IRS. However, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that FHA insured over $1.44 billion in mortgages for 6,327 borrowers who had a total of $77.6 million in federal tax debt. The watchdog group explained that the borrowers benefited from the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which includes a provision that increased mortgage insurance loan limits and provided an estimated $12 billion in Recovery Act First-Time Homebuyer Credits (FTHBCs) to 1.7 million individuals.

A reverse mortgage is a type of home loan that lets older homeowners access the equity they have built up on their homes and defer loan payment until they sell the home, move out, or pass away. The original purpose of reverse mortgages was to allow these homeowners to convert home equity into an income stream or line or credit to use in retirement. Reverse mortgages require no monthly mortgage payments, but borrowers must still pay property taxes and homeowner's insurance. The CFPB released a report that showed nearly 10 percent of reverse mortgage borrowers are at risk of foreclosure because they failed to pay those costs.

Mortgage rates remained somewhat flat for the week ending June 28, according to Freddie Mac's Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS). The 30-year fixed averaged 3.66 percent (0.7 point), staying level with the all-time low that was achieved the previous week. At this time in 2011, the 30-year fixed averaged 4.51 percent. The 15-year fixed averaged 2.94 percent (0.7 point), down slightly from 2.95 percent the previous week. This week's average matches the all-time low set in the first week of June 2012. At the same time last year, the 15-year fixed rate mortgage averaged 3.69 percent.

The US economy grew at an annual rate of 1.9 percent in the first quarter, the Bureau of Economic Analysis reported Thursday in its third estimate of economic performance in the first quarter. The BEA report was consistent with market expectations but emphasized a moribund economy.