“Less Foreclosures, More Short Sales and Modifications”
Banks and servicers that are responsible for the foreclosure process have finally figured out, that getting a short sale or modification done, will be more of a benefit to them, than the never ending foreclosure process.
A Realtor, that refers clients to me, recently told me that his experience indicates that short sales are happening quicker and the decision makers are more reasonable than they have been in the past.
Many of them have gotten tired of how the foreclosure process is taking. It is all about dollars and cents, not that they want to be kinder and gentler with the homeowner.
OCC: Megabanks Hike Modifications, Cut Foreclosures
By: Brian Collins
Bank servicers initiated more trial modification plans, and initiated fewer foreclosure actions in the fourth quarter than the previous one, according to a new report from the Comptroller of the Currency.
The agency's 'Mortgage Metrics Report' released Wednesday shows that nine well known megabanks regulated by the OCC started 210,200 trial modifications in 4Q, a 34% increase from the third quarter. The nine also initiated nearly 292,200 foreclosures, a 16% drop from 3Q.
OCC mortgage expert Bruce Krueger attributed this shift to on-going efforts to stop 'dual tracking' where the foreclosure process is initiated while a borrower is being considered for a modification or other option to keep them in their homes.
Krueger also noted these nine servicers had knowledge of the outline of the robo-signing settlement with the state attorneys general and started taking some borrowers out of the foreclosure process, evaluating them for a foreclosure prevention option. Four of the OCC servicers signed the settlement with the state AGs.
The nine OCC-regulated servicers include: Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, Citibank, HSBC, MetLife, PNC, U.S. Bank, Wells Fargo and OneWest Bank. Combined, they service 60% of all first lien mortgages in the U.S.
In a press briefing with reporters, Krueger said he is seeing an increasing use of principal reduction by banks in modifying loans in their portfolios and where they have the investor's permission to write down a portion of the principal.
In the fourth quarter, servicers employed principal reduction in modifying 25% of portfolio loans and 16% of investor loans, the agency found.
The percentage of principal reduction is higher under the Home Affordable Modification Program. "OCC has long held the position that principal reduction can be an effective tool in the arsenal for loss mitigation," Krueger said.
image: nattavut/freedigitalphotos.net
Joe Petrowsky, NMLS #6869
Right Trac Financial Group, Inc. NMLS #2709
110 Main St.
Manchester, Ct. 06042
Office: 860 647-7701 x116
Fax: 860 647-8940
Cell: 860 836-9294
Email: joe@righttracfg.com
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