D to the Anger...

Mortgage delinquencies fell for the first time since 2008, but foreclosures are on the rise and loan modifications are re-defaulting at a seriously high rate, according to the OTS Mortgage Metrics Report released today.

Mortgages in all stages of pre-foreclosure (such as 30+ day lates, 60+ day lates, and so on) on all types of loans (prime, Alt-A, subprime) improved during the first quarter of 2010 as newly initiated foreclosures increased roughly 19 percent from the fourth quarter.

Meanwhile, foreclosures in process increased nine percent and completed foreclosures jumped nearly 19 percent as loan servicers ran out of options to keep borrowers in their homes.

After all, there aren’t solutions for everyone, namely those who had no business buying a home, especially a severely overpriced one.

Loan modifications also rose during the quarter, with “actions to prevent avoidable foreclosures” increasing five percent from the previous quarter and more than 61 percent from a year earlier.

But the performance of loan modifications is still dubious at best, with just 27.2 percent of mods performed in 2008 and 51.8 percent performed in 2009 current.

Yes, the numbers have improved over the past year, but with still more than half failing to do their job, you have to wonder if we’re just delaying the inevitable.

Of the mods performed in 2009, 26.2 percent are already seriously delinquent and 7.9 percent are in the process of foreclosure.

Early data has suggested that HAMP modifications are outperforming other modifications, which the OTS attributed to an emphasis on lower mortgage payments based on affordability and new requirements for documented and verified income.

After three months, 7.7 percent of HAMP modifications were 60 days or more delinquent, compared with 11.3 percent of all loan modifications.