Foreclosures, delinquencies skyrocketing among 'prime' borrowers

By E. Scott Reckard
November 24, 2008

Nationwide, 3.07% of prime mortgages were in foreclosure or at least 60 days late in the second quarter of this year, easily topping the previous record of 1.97% set in 1985. 

Home prices keep plunging; L.A. sees some of the sharpest declines

By Peter Y. Hong
November 26, 2008

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November 26, 2008

 

 

 

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Scott reported a story using Judy Jones' home in Murrieta as example to describe the general situation in the downturn of real estate.  Very impressive, even it is so sad.

One thing makes me very upset, even I shouldn't since I know it is a cruel reality.  Jones figures she owes about $100,000 more on the mortgages than her home's current value.    She notified Bank of America Corp.'s Countrywide unit, the approach the lender urges troubled borrowers to take.  No surprise to a seasoned real estate investor,  she was told so long as she was current on payments, there is no way for asking help.   So she intentionally missed an Oct. 15 deadline, then called Countrywide again and asked for help.  

Why we have a system that awards those who defaulted (maybe with their maliciousness); while it declines to give a hand to those who act honestly and responsibly to keep making their payments, even it is so obvious the later are trying to stay afloat before drown?  If the situation is so clear, what are the reasons for us to wait until the last minute it is almost no cure?  Is it fair to treat a decent person who is known in trouble by asking him to be a "bad" boy before asking a help?   Ridiculous!

Today, I am so busy in collecting foreclosure info in a particular area of California.   One year ago, there is just almost no distressed property in this upper middle class neighborhood of Los Angeles County.  Simply it is not the target area of "subprime" loan.   I advised my client to wait for 8 months since I am expecting the second wave of "Option" or "Alt-A" loan to hit California, that is much much bigger than the subprime.  

With the unemployment rate up to 8%, making California the third highest in the nation.   The finding of my study is no surprise to my anticipation, but still it is very amazingly incredible.  The distressed properties in that area increase roughly 7-8 times more than a year ago.  That figures include those under NOD and NOT.   It is difficult to precisely quantify the numbers (since sources are using different methods or sometimes do double counting).  

Just out of my perception, it is about 30 or more NOT (notice of trustee sale) filings in September-October 2008; and in my memory, it is only about 3 filings a year ago.   Almost 10 times more if we just factor in NOT only.  Put it the other way, The numbers of NOT have a big surge in these two (most recent) months alone, more than the aggregate of the previous 8 months.  (NOTE: Sorry, I didn't bother myself to study the NOD numbers.)

In my previous article Dealing With a Shark, You Are Out of Luck! , I mentioned a suspicious "pocket listing" (coming up on MLS for just one day.)   The NOT against the house was filed in on December 27, 2007 (the opening bid is $458,059.)   Two weeks ago, it was finally put on the market and listed for $284,000 (sold in one day).   Clearly, the price dropped a lot.  Some guys are so happy to jump on it, grasp it and thank their good friendly agent for the extra valuable help, now.   However, is it really a good deal?   We will find out in 8 months. 

Other things being equal, it may be safe for me to assume all recent distressed properties come on the market at the same speed and processing (it is very possible wrong), then in mid-2009, we will see 10 times REO listings on the market and the pressure to sell them will be much greater.   If it is the case, buyers will be able to pick up a real bargain if they can wait.

The L. A. Times reporter Scott Reckard seems to conclude that "The only practical help in sight is to get as many of these potential foreclosures modified as possible, so they come off the market."   Gee, said easily than done.  

How can we do it with the shrinking working forces due to the current popular policy to freeze employment in financial institutions?  It is almost an impossible mission, right? 

Wrong, I will say it is not the right way to do it, let alone the only way.   But what I say or think doesn't mean anything to Paulson or Gaithner.

 

 
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5 Comments on Buyers, Please Wait 8 Months for a Good News to California

NOV
28
2008
137,850 Points 10 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor

Eight months!  Probably more like Spring 2010....

Regina P. Brown
Allison James Estates & Homes
www.ReginaBrown.AllisonJamesInc.com

3:30am • #1

Regina,

Thank you for your comment.

Maybe, I didn't make it clear in the topic that I am only talking about a prime area in Los Angeles County.   My topic is mainly pointing out a fact that "prime" loan default is right on the track to come, no matter where the area is good or bad.  It has nothing to do with the "bottom" of California real estate market.   I am not going to predict the bottom since so many factors involved even, I believe, yours is optimistic.  If you say it is 2010, I will say it is based on at least some assumptions, such as good government policy and more efficiency in our REO industry that clearly do not exist so far.

There are thousands local markets in CA.   Some are really bad with 50% or more down, some are not for now.  My client is so picky to find a house in the area in which housing price went 8-10 percent down from last year as Manhattan Beach, CA did.  

Why I did a more thorough study yesterday?  Because my client had a decision to make: to go or not to go for a recent offer.   It is a critical time.  He would like to have my newest opinion.   And I have to be very serious as a professional.

Last night, we went over all the information.  He felt so relieved to resind an offer he just made to buy a property for $250K.   It bears a listing price of $310K, I suggested him to make an offer for no more than $250K.   He hesitated to make "such a low ball" offer, since a smaller house two blocks away is still asking for $417.9K and he was intimidated.   But I insisted and he did whatever I said; his offer was accepted in 3 days by the seller waiting for bank's approval.  2 days ago, he was told by the agent that the bank gave approval orally and the written acceptance would be in a few days.   Legally, the offer is void and null since my client has no obligation to honor the offer in which the contingency he has the right to receive the bank's written approval is 8 days past due.   But he is still in a position to accept or reject it at his discretion.   

He said he was so happy to update new development.  He numbered it to say there are 16 NOT filings in his one-mile radius target blocks (remember, there is almost none a year ago).   He told me that he can wait for a better price and more choice to come in 8 months or less.

 

10:44am • #2

C.A.R. REPORTS SALES UP 117.1 PERCENT; MEDIAN PRICE FELL 39.9 PERCENT

Home sales increased 117.1 percent in October in California compared with the same period a year ago, while the median price of an existing home fell 39.9 percent, C.A.R. reported yesterday.

"Statewide sales increased significantly in October to 552,750 homes on an annualized basis, the highest sales level since late 2005," said C.A.R. President James Liptak. "The record gain stemmed primarily from extremely large increases in regions with a high concentration of distressed sales.

"Most October sales likely opened escrow prior to the beginning of the ongoing freeze in the financial markets.We won't have a clear picture of the full impact of the fallout until November and December sales are reported," Liptak added.

"The year-to-year decline in the statewide median home price was smaller in October than the previous month for the first time in 11 months," said C.A.R Vice President and Chief Economist Leslie Appleton-Young. "However, there is still no conclusive indication that prices have begun to stabilize."

 

Calif. median home price - October 08: $311,060(Source: C.A.R.)  
Calif. highest median home price by C.A.R. region September 08: Santa Barbara So. Coast $860,000 (Source: C.A.R.)  
Calif. lowest median home price by C.A.R. region September 08: High Desert $154,660 (Source: C.A.R.)  
Calif. First-time Buyer Affordability Index - Third Quarter 08: 53 percent (Source: C.A.R.)

****

A perfect example for the saying: "figures don't lie; people fig."

How can the sales up 117% and the price down 40% at the same period?  It depends on at least one very different approach: how you collect the data.   You can factor a distressed sale, such as NOT at the court steps, into a "sale" and treat it as normal.  Then, you have the sales volume increased or doubled.  

With different planet, who can argue with that?  Very clearly, it is against the first principle of economics, isn't it?  

Well, that's perfect ethical "honesty" of politicians explained.  Yes, we can't treat their speech as a lie as someone said "an oral sex is not a sex."  they are always perfectly honest, even they knowingly choose to use the tactics called "septic focus" to "deceive."  So many cheerleaders orchestrated a show to their interest nowadays.

It is really up to you to be smart with your own discipline or to be dumb with a herd mentality, isn't it?   I have no say about your action, but, sorry to say, it is  "your money" as Mr. Anderson, Channel 9 of Los Angeles, uses to end his program. 

 

8:07pm • #3
DEC
01
2008
JAN
29

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