by Calculated Risk on 6/26/2020 11:37:00 AM

Freddie Mac reported that the Single-Family serious delinquency rate in May was 0.81%, up from 0.64% in April. Freddie's rate is down from 0.63% in May 2019.

This is the highest serious delinquency rate since June 2018.

Freddie's serious delinquency rate peaked in February 2010 at 4.20%.

These are mortgage loans that are "three monthly payments or more past due or in foreclosure".

Click on graph for larger image

With COVID-19, this rate will increase significantly in June and July (it takes time since these are mortgages three months or more past due).

I believe mortgages in forbearance will be counted as delinquent in this monthly report, but they will not be reported to the credit bureaus.

This is very different from the increase in delinquencies following the housing bubble.   Lending standards have been fairly solid over the last decade, and most of these homeowners have equity in their homes - and they will be able to restructure their loans once they are employed.

Note: Fannie Mae will report for May soon.