Eleanor Lockwood of Alabama: Mortgage Delinquency Declines, Homeowners Stay On Top of Payments
Online, August 30, 2012 (Newswire.com) - The Wall Street Journal reports that both credit card and mortgage delinquency rates are down as of the second quarter of 2012. Additionally, TransUnion Corp., a credit-information company, is predicting that these rates will continue their downward trend as 2012 comes to a close. Eleanor Lockwood of Alabama believes that waiting until the fourth quarter's statistics are available may give experts a better look at the overall health of the economy, as they will factor in the expenses associated with the holidays.
Tim Martin, the Group Vice President of U.S. Housing in the Financial Services Business Unit of TransUnion, states: "The economy has not grown at a robust rate, but it does continue to slowly improve and we believe the improvement in mortgage delinquencies will follow a similar pattern."
According to the article, the mortgage delinquency rate dropped from 5.78 percent to 5.49 percent during the second quarter of 2012. Furthermore, 45 states saw decreases in their individual delinquency rates between the first and second quarters, while an improvement in these same rates throughout metropolitan areas was 76 percent.
The national credit card delinquency rate has been seeing similar improvements. The article reports that the number of delinquencies dropped from 0.73 percent to 0.63 percent from the first to the second quarter.
Ezra Becker, the Vice President of Research and Consulting in the Financial Services Business Unit at TransUnion, asserts: "The national credit card delinquency rate continues to remain at the lowest levels we've observed in 18 years. It's a positive situation because average borrower balances have increased over the past year as new card originations have grown."
While Lockwood is happy to see that these delinquency rates are diminishing, she believes that it may be best to wait to compare statistics until numbers from the fourth quarter are available. Eleanor Lockwood of Alabama comments, "The last quarter of 2012 might give a better picture of delinquencies due to the expenditures of holiday expenses by comparing credit card originations and credit card debt to earlier years with larger volumes."
Lockwood hopes that this downward trend of delinquency rates continues, as it will contribute to an overall stronger economy. With fewer delinquencies, it may be inferred that homeowners and credit card holders are increasingly capable of maintaining their payment plans.
ABOUT:
Eleanor Lockwood of Alabama has worked in the mortgage and financial industries for over 40 years. A seasoned professional, Eleanor Lockwood serves the residents of Alabama by providing her industry insight and expertise. Currently, Eleanor Lockwood of Alabama provides auditing services and assistance with regard to pending and approaching legal issues. In addition, she volunteers for several organizations throughout the community.