Foreclosures are ticking up. And that may make your mind jump straight to thoughts of 2008 – specifically to what happened to the market during the housing crash. So, let’s do exactly what your brain already wants to do, and see if there’s any connection there.
The simple truth is foreclosure filings are rising. But they’re nowhere near crisis levels. And that’s not where they’re headed either. Here’s why.
Take a look at serious delinquencies – loans where the homeowner is more than 90 days late on their mortgage payments.
While those have increased slightly, data from the New York Fed shows they still remain low. And they aren’t anywhere close to levels seen when the market crashed (see graph below):
Home Equity Changes Everything
Many people have built significant equity over the past several years. And that creates options. As Daren Blomquist, VP of Market Economics at Auction.com, explains:
“Distressed homeowners… many times they still have equity in their homes. There’s an opportunity for them to sell that home, avoid foreclosure, and walk away with equity.”
That’s a major difference from 2008. Back then, many homeowners owed more than their homes were worth. And selling wasn’t an easy solution. Today, for many people, it is. And even in situations where equity isn’t enough, homeowners are encouraged to contact their loan servicer early to explore alternatives to foreclosure.
Bottom Line
Are foreclosure filings rising slightly? Yes. Are they anywhere near crash territory? No. And homeowners today have far more equity and flexibility than they did during the crash.
If you’re concerned about what you’re seeing in the headlines, the best move isn’t panic, it’s perspective. And the data right now says this isn’t 2008 all over again.
