CoreLogic Reports U.S. Overall Delinquency Rate Remains Steady at 20-Year Low in May

CoreLogic (NYSE: CLGX), a leading global property information, analytics and data-enabled solutions provider, today released its monthly Loan Performance Insights Report. The report shows that nationally 3.6% of mortgages were in some stage of delinquency (30 days or more past due, including those in foreclosure) in May 2019, representing a 0.6 percentage point decline in the overall delinquency rate compared with May 2018, when it was 4.2%. This marks the second consecutive month the rate has been at its lowest point in more than 20 years.

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Highest Annual Gains in Serious Delinquency Rate for Select Metropolitan Areas; CoreLogic May 2019 (Graphic: Business Wire)

As of May 2019, the foreclosure inventory rate – which measures the share of mortgages in some stage of the foreclosure process – was 0.4%, down 0.1 percentage points from May 2018. The May 2019 foreclosure inventory rate tied the prior six months as the lowest for any month since at least January 1999.

Measuring early-stage delinquency rates is important for analyzing the health of the mortgage market. To monitor mortgage performance comprehensively, CoreLogic examines all stages of delinquency, as well as transition rates, which indicate the percentage of mortgages moving from one stage of delinquency to the next.

The rate for early-stage delinquencies – defined as 30 to 59 days past due – was 1.7% in May 2019, down from 1.8% in May 2018. The share of mortgages 60 to 89 days past due in May 2019 was 0.6%, unchanged from May 2018. The serious delinquency rate – defined as 90 days or more past due, including loans in foreclosure – was 1.3% in May 2019, down from 1.8% in May 2018. May’s serious delinquency rate of 1.3% tied the April 2019 rate as the lowest for any month since August 2005 when it was also 1.3%.

Since early-stage delinquencies can be volatile, CoreLogic also analyzes transition rates. The share of mortgages that transitioned from current to 30 days past due was 0.8% in May 2019, unchanged from May 2018. By comparison, in January 2007, just before the start of the financial crisis, the current-to-30-day transition rate was 1.2%, while it peaked in November 2008 at 2%.

“Growth in family income and home prices continues to support low delinquency rates,” said Dr. Frank Nothaft, chief economist at CoreLogic. “Communities that experienced a rise in delinquencies are generally those that also suffered from natural disasters. Last year’s hurricanes and wildfires, and this spring’s severe flooding from heavy rainstorms and snowmelt have pushed delinquency rates higher in these impacted communities.”