Mortgage Delinquencies Rise in November

Mortgage industry technology and services company Lender Processing Services Inc. (NYSE: LPS) reported today that mortgage delinquencies rose to 7.12% in November 2012, up from 7.03% in October, but down from 7.83% in November 2011. Mortgages in the foreclosure process fell from 3.61% in October to 3.51% in November and are well below the 4.2% rate posted in November 2011.

Added together, mortgages in foreclosure or delinquent now total 10.63% of all mortgages, or 5.35 million loans. The number of mortgages 30 to 90 days past due and not in foreclosure totals 1.999 million; the number more than 90 days past due and not yet in foreclosure totals 1.584 million; and the number in foreclosure totals 1.767 million. In October 5.3 million loans were delinquent or in foreclosure, while the number totaled 6.172 million in November 2011.

November's totals were higher in part due to the effects of Hurricane Sandy. In the area hit by the storm, mortgage delinquencies increased sharply since August - up 15.4% in Connecticut, 15.2% in New Jersey and 14.8% in New York, compared with a national rate of increase of just 3.7%.

The other issue having an impact on foreclosures was the September adoption of the new National Mortgage Settlement requirements. Lenders slowed the pace of foreclosure filings while waiting for the new rules to be implemented. Now that the rule are in place, LPS says that foreclosures will pick up again.

Filed under: 24/7 Wall St. Wire, Banking, Housing Tagged: LPS