NEW YORK — The percentage of U.S. homeowners who owe more than their house is worth will nearly double to 48 percent in 2011 from 26 percent at the end of March, portending another blow to the housing market, Deutsche Bank said on Wednesday. Home price declines will have their biggest impact on prime ‘conforming’ loans that meet underwriting and size guidelines of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the bank said in a report. Prime conforming loans make up two-thirds of mortgages, and are typically less risky because of stringent requirements. ‘We project the next phase of the housing decline will have a far greater impact on prime borrowers,’ Deutsche analysts Karen Weaver and Ying Shen said in the report. Of prime conforming loans, 41 percent will be ‘underwater’ by the first quarter of 2011, up from 16 percent at the end of the first quarter 2009, it said. Forty-six percent of prime jumbo loans will be larger than their properties’ value, up from 29 percent, it said. ‘The impact of this is significant given that these markets have the largest share of the total mortgage market outstanding,’ the analysts said. Prime jumbo loans make up […]
Thursday, August 6th, 2009
About Half Of U.S. Mortgages Seen Underwater By 2011
Author: AL YOON
Source: Reuters
Publication Date: Wed Aug 5, 5:12 pm ET
Link: About Half Of U.S. Mortgages Seen Underwater By 2011
Source: Reuters
Publication Date: Wed Aug 5, 5:12 pm ET
Link: About Half Of U.S. Mortgages Seen Underwater By 2011
Stephan: If this plays out as described there is going to be an awful lot of pain, and further rents in the social fabric. It is this stress on civil society that is the real price. America's strength has always lain with its middle class, and the middle class is being destroyed.