Bank Repossessions Are On The Rise

Posted Aug 11, 2023

Bank Repossessions Rise, Despite Fewer Homeowners Receiving Foreclosure Notices

More homeowners are losing their homes to foreclosures.

Just over 3,300 properties were repossessed by lenders in July, according to a recent report from ATTOM, a real estate data company. That was a 4% increase from June and a 9% jump from a year earlier.

However, the number of completed foreclosures might not rise too high as the number of property owners receiving a foreclosure notice has fallen. In July, there were nearly 32,000 properties across the country with a foreclosure filing, roughly 1 in every 4,380 housing units. That was down 12% from June and 2% from a year earlier.

Filings included default notices, scheduled auctions, and bank repossessions.

“The slight decline in foreclosure filings we are seeing is yet another sign of a rebounding housing market,” ATTOM CEO Rob Barber said in a statement. “With home prices back up, several factors have combined to put more financial resources in the hands of homeowners, providing more options to avoid foreclosure.”

Homeowners who aren’t able to make their mortgage payments may still decide to sell their properties and avoid going through a foreclosure. Since home prices are so high, many are likely pocketing a profit from the sale. That’s the opposite of what happened during the Great Recession when home prices crashed, foreclosures surged, and many homeowners learned they owed more than what their homes were worth.

Before anyone panics, it’s worth noting that the uptick is partly due to the federal moratorium suspending foreclosures during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now that these moratoriums have been lifted, lenders can proceed with foreclosures that have been pending for years.

Where were the most home foreclosures?

Lenders repossessed the greatest number of homes in Illinois, where homeowners lost 355 properties in July. The state was followed by Pennsylvania, at 230; California, at 217; Michigan, at 200; and Texas, at 200.

The city of Chicago had the highest number of completed foreclosures of all metropolitan areas with more than 1 million residents.

Where are the most homeowners in danger of losing their homes?

Some parts of the country were more susceptible to foreclosures than others. Maryland had the highest foreclosure rate, with 1 in every 2,071 housing units having received a foreclosure filing. New Jersey was next, followed by Delaware, Illinois, and South Carolina.

Of metropolitan areas with at least 200,000 residents, Fayetteville, NC, had the highest foreclosure rate in July. Rounding out the top five were Atlantic City, NJ; Columbia, SC; Trenton, NJ; and Cleveland.

On the other end of the spectrum were the places where the number of homeowners being served with foreclosure notices has dropped the most. Hawaii saw the biggest decline, followed by New Hampshire, Idaho, Arkansas, and Alabama.

Source: Realtor.com