Delinquencies

While the balance of newly delinquent loans fell by 50% from November, the ratings agency warned that many borrowers will likely struggle to bring loans current under ongoing pandemic conditions.

Reports indicate distressed owners would rather surrender their hotel or retail properties instead of negotiate workouts on delinquent loans as the pandemic spread carries on.

With limited plan removals due to the holidays, mortgages in coronavirus-related forbearance rose by 15,000, according to Black Knight.

About 4,400 loans started the foreclosure process in November, alongside 176,000 mortgages in active foreclosure.

With infection rates rising and unemployment claims increasing since Thanksgiving, mortgages in coronavirus-related forbearance rose by 37,000 last week, according to Black Knight.

The percentage of seriously delinquent loans hit 5.8% in the third quarter, up from 1.5% a year earlier but down from 6.8% in the second quarter.

While 12,000 mortgages exited forbearance, the most borrowers entered forbearance protection in a week since early September, according to Black Knight.

The more-than-$550 billion market for bonds backed by U.S. commercial mortgages may face losses even after promising Covid-19 vaccines become widespread, as key parts of the real estate market may not return to full strength anytime soon.

Citigroup's realty arm is sponsoring a $1.06 billion RMBS of highly seasoned mortgage loans with troubled histories. All of the loans were acquired via a Fannie whole-loan auction.

Mortgage delinquencies dropped to the lowest level since March but, particularly at the seriously delinquent level, they're still much higher than pre-coronavirus rates, according to Black Knight.