We have occasionally highlighted the insights of real estate expert Keith Jurow, who provides a unique perspective on many aspects of the general real estate environment, but mortgages in particular.  He has recently produced an outstanding analysis/article on the current environment of mortgage REDEFAULTS. The media and other real estate analysts would have you believe that the worst is far behind us and that our real estate markets have recovered following the Great Financial Crisis (GFC).  According to Keith, they haven’t and things may actually be deteriorating further!

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have saved 4.1 million homeowners from default, including another 68,000 in Q1’18, since the GFC. But, according to Jurow, this effort has been a massive failure, as homeowners across the country are redefaulting again once, twice, and in some cases, three times. According to Jurow’s analysis, 37% of homeowners who had received a loan modification from Fannie Mae had redefaulted by Q4’17. Incredibly, 30% of homeowners who received a loan modification in 2017 had redefaulted in three months!

“Even mortgage pros don’t really know that there is a problem. How could they? The re-default numbers … have been buried where few people can find them, said Jurow. At Bank of America, the redefault rate on “troubled debt restructurings” is 45%. At PNC, it’s 57%. At Wells Fargo, it’s 35%. These and other lenders, loan servicers, and Fannie and Freddie “have been able to pull off this charade because hardly anyone knows how bad the re-default situation really is,” Jurow said.

I highly recommend that you take the time to read his article. Furthermore, Keith’s work is worthy of a visit to his website, which can be found at http://www.keithjurow.com. You will not be wasting your time!