Residential foreclosures could top 1.23 million units this year, according to figures compiled by CoreLogic, Los Altos, Calif. In the first quarter 309,194 homes went into foreclosure, the company found, a 17% jump from the same period last year. In 2009 1.16 million homes went into foreclosure, a record.
Meanwhile, figures CoreLogic calculated for The New York Times suggest that more than one in seven homeowners with loans in excess of a million dollars is seriously delinquent.
The newspaper reported, "Though it is hard to prove, the CoreLogic data suggest that many of the well-to-do are purposely dumping their financially draining properties, just as they would any sour investment." A CoreLogic senior economist noted, "The rich are different: they are more ruthless."
In other housing news, U.S. home prices rose 0.9% in May after a 1.3% monthly increase in April, according to the CoreLogic housing price index. The CoreLogic HPI, which is not seasonally adjusted and includes distressed sales, is up 2.9% since May 2009. Excluding distressed sales, the year-over-year price increase for May was 0.9%.
"Home price appreciation stabilized as homebuyer tax credit driven sales peaked in late spring," said Mark Fleming, chief economist for CoreLogic. "But given that the labor market and income growth remain tepid, we expect prices to moderate and possibly decline the rest of the year," he said.
The top five states with the highest price appreciation in May, including distressed sales, were: California (7.9%), Virginia (6.8%), Massachusetts (5.7%), Rhode Island (5.5%) and Vermont (5.1%). The top five states with the greatest price depreciation in May, including distressed sales, were: Idaho (-6.6%), Alabama (-5.3%), New Mexico (-4.2%), Maryland (-3.1%) and Wyoming (-3.1%).
