by Calculated Risk on 4/13/2020 04:00:00 PM

Note: To put these numbers in perspective, the MBA notes "For the week of March 2, only 0.25% of all loans were in forbearance."

From the MBA: MBA Survey: Share of Mortgage Loans in Forbearance Continues to Climb

The surge in unemployment claims filed since mid-March resulting from the mitigation efforts to slow the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) are straining household budgets and leading to more requests for mortgage forbearance.

That is according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) latest Forbearance and Call Volume Survey, which revealed that the total number of loans in forbearance jumped from 2.73% to 3.74% during the week of March 30 to April 5, 2020. …

“The nationwide shutdown of the economy to slow the spread of COVID-19 continues to create hardships for millions of households, and more are contacting their servicers for relief in accordance with the forbearance provisions under the CARES Act,” said Mike Fratantoni, MBA’s Senior Vice President and Chief Economist. “The share of loans in forbearance grew the first week of April, and forbearance requests and call center volume further increased. With mitigation efforts seemingly in place for at least several more weeks, job losses will continue and the number of borrowers asking for forbearance will likely to continue to rise at a rapid pace.”

Added Fratantoni, “There was a decline in call center hold times and abandonment rates in the latest survey, which indicates the mortgage industry is adapting to the current environment by adding or reallocating staff and increasingly utilizing its websites to help borrowers.”
emphasis added