NEW YORK — The delinquency rate on U.S. mortgage loans hit an all-time high in the second quarter, but the pace of growth for the rate slowed, a possible sign the mortgage crisis may be beginning to turn the corner. Data provided by credit reporting agency TransUnion shows the ratio of mortgage holders who are 60 days or more behind on their payments increased for the 10th straight quarter, to 5.81 percent nationwide for the three months ended June 30. That’s up 65 percent, from 3.53 percent, in the 2008 second quarter. Deliquency of 60 days is considered a precursor to foreclosure, because of the difficulty homeowners would have coming up with two back payments to bring themselves current. While the deliquency rate hit a new high, however, the increase from the first quarter to the second was 11.3 percent. In the two prior quarters, the rate jumped nearly 16 percent. That slowdown may be a good sign, said FJ Guarrera, vice president of TransUnion’s financial services division. ‘We have reason to be cautiously optimistic,’ he said. While there’s no way to know exactly why the pace of growth is slowing, Guarrera said, it […]