(MoneyforAgents.com) – Fewer homeowners are facing foreclosure by the end of 2023 than at the beginning of the year.
A recent survey from real estate data firm ATTOM states that the percentage of homeowners who filed for foreclosure decreased by 7% in November compared to last year.
Real estate analysts, however, cautioned that in 2024, foreclosures are expected to increase.
In a statement, ATTOM CEO Rob Barber stated, "While we've observed a modest decrease in U.S. foreclosure activity, most likely due to seasonal factors, it's essential to note that these fluctuations are a part of the market's cyclical nature."
In November of this year, there were still over 3,200 residences in foreclosure, 5% more than in November of 2022. That represented roughly 1 out of every 4,347 residential properties with a foreclosure filing in November.
Bank repossessions, scheduled auctions, and default notices were among the filings.
Most real estate analysts do not anticipate another wave of foreclosure closings akin to those that swept the nation during the Great Recession.
The riskiest mortgages, those with payments that inflated over time, were removed from the market by new rules and criteria from lenders.
Applicants for mortgages now have to meet far higher qualifications to be approved for a loan.
In addition, the reverse issue of the 2000s is currently present: there are more purchasers than available properties.
Due to this, housing prices have remained high, and few homeowners have experienced loan default. Therefore, homeowners should be allowed to sell their houses without foreclosure, even with specific financial difficulties.
However, that does not imply that some homeowners will remain in their houses.
"We expect a possible increase in foreclosure activity as we move toward 2024 as different economic factors change and market dynamics shift," Barber stated.
The country saw many foreclosures, with homeowners in the mid-Atlantic, Ohio, South Carolina, and some regions of California suffering the most.
With one in every 2,393 houses at risk, Delaware homeowners had the highest percentage of foreclosure filings in November. Following it were New Jersey (1 in 2,834), South Carolina (1 in 2,711), Ohio (1 in 2,656), and Maryland (1 in 2,537).
With one foreclosure filing for every 1,595 houses, Bakersfield, California, was the metro region with the highest percentage of homeowners.
Following Cleveland were Canton, OH (1 in 1,820), Columbia, SC (1 in 1,922), Stockton, CA (1 in 1,961), and Cleveland (1 in 1,818). (In this section of the ATTOM analysis, only metro areas with 200,000 or more people were considered.)
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