Defaults begin sink companies To quote Queen, "Another bites the dust". This time the mortgage company going under is Irvine based sub prime provider, New Century Financial Corp. It's creditors have cut it off as the defaults in the continue to rise. What's more telling is the percentage of sub prime loans, and their marketshare have skyrocketed in the last three years, going from 6% of the market to 22% of the market. Foreclosures and defaults will have a ripple effect throughout the California housing market.

The so-called sub-prime lending industry that specializes in loans to risky borrowers has been tormented for months by soured loans, creating huge losses and forcing about three dozen large lenders to be sold to other companies, to file for bankruptcy protection or to close operations altogether.

On Monday, New Century announced that the Wall Street firms that supplied its funding had either cut off fresh capital or were poised to do so, leading some industry observers to say bankruptcy was likely. The company's stock plunged $1.55, or 48%, on Monday to $1.66 before the New York Stock Exchange halted trading.

Less than a year ago, New Century shares were worth nearly $52 each.

As New Century's stock sank, those of other sub-prime lenders suffered too. Santa Monica-based Fremont General Corp. fell $1.30, or 16%, to $6.73. The firm said last week that it would exit the business under pressure from regulators.

Homebuilder shares also stumbled on fears that they will have fewer customers. Hovnanian Enterprises Inc. fell 6% and Pulte Homes Inc. dropped nearly 5%.

This is likely affect other mortgage providers with less exposures and will lead to a much needed tightening of lending standards. This will exert a downward pressure on California homes in several ways. First of expect more distressed sales of homes, secondly expect fewer offers on your home for sale since their will be fewer buyers competing for it.

Labels: CA, California, Mortgage, NewCenturyFinancialCorp, Subprime, subprimemortgagecalifornia

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See No Evil Seeking Alpha has a bubble tracker and round up. Remarkably people who have a vested interest in saying things are GREAT continue to do so. Here's a great one from Idaho, ""Sales of single-family homes in the Treasure Valley in January were off 27% from Jan. 2006," yet according to Don Hubble of Hubble Homes, "We're optimistc." Talk about cognative dissonance.

Here's another report - this time in California in the Central Valley with an expert saying the housing bubble has adjusted

"The foreclosure market in California and the nation in 2007 may not be quite as intense as it was last year but many home buyers who used creative financing to get into their homes are still in danger of foreclosure, says Serdar Bankaci, founder and president of Default Research Inc. of Mt. Pleasant, Pa."

Look at that lead... "may not be quite as intense"? Based on what data? Let's take a t the actual data. Here's a great post at the OC Register
"RealtyTrac from Irvine reports ....

"California’s foreclosure total of 14,430 was the nation’s second highest and represented a 14 percent increase from the previous month. The state’s foreclosure rate of one new foreclosure filing for every 846 households registered slightly above the national average and 14th highest among the states."

So instead of cooling down - the foreclosure rate is actaully INCREASING in California.

Labels: CA, California, Foreclosure, Mortgage, rateinJanuary

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First Time Home Buyers in California For a first time home buyer in California, entering the market right now is a daunting task. With mortgage rates at an all time low, home prices are at an all time high. Too often people get interest only loans without being aware that there are a wide variety of options for the first time home buyer. For example the California Housing Finance Authority has a program to determine if you are eligible for a CalHFA loan program. For a simple web based eligibility form, California Housing Finance Agency. Please note that this is not a loan approval but rather a form to determine eligibility. For a list of Approved CalHFA Lenders.

The affordable housing program can make a huge difference for a first time buyer. I always suggest it as a starting point.

Labels: California, firsttimebuyers, newbuyersinCalifornia

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Initial launch Given the way the California Real Estate market has heated up over the last 5 years, I thought I would start a site to extensively cover changes in the market. So here it is.

Labels: CA, California, CAMortgageNews, Mortgage

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