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U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development | Office of Policy Development and Research

The Obama Administration’s Efforts 

To Stabilize the Housing Market 

and Help American Homeowners

March 2015

U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development

The Administration’s goal remains to stabilize the housing market and provide 

security for homeowners. To meet these objectives in a challenging market, 

the Administration developed a broad approach implementing state and 

local housing agency initiatives, tax credits for homebuyers, neighborhood 

stabilization and community development programs, mortgage modifications and 

refinancing, housing counseling, continued Federal Housing Administration (FHA) 

engagement, support for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and increased consumer 

protections. In addition, Federal Reserve and Treasury Mortgage-Backed 

Securities purchase programs have helped to keep mortgage interest rates at 

record lows for more than a year. More detail on the Administration’s efforts can 

be found in the Appendix.

• Purchases of new homes in February climbed to the fastest 

pace in seven years despite severe weather. Purchases of new 

homes rose 7.8 percent from a month earlier to a seasonally adjusted 

annual rate (SAAR) of 539,000 in February. This was 24.8 percent higher 

than a year earlier and the strongest pace since February 2008. January 

sales were revised upward to a pace of 500,000. New home sales data 

can be volatile, however, and are often revised. (Source: HUD and Census 

Bureau.)

• Homeowners’ Equity continues to rise. Homeowners’ equity (total 

property value less mortgage debt outstanding) was up nearly $260 billion 

(2.4%) from the third quarter, reaching nearly $11.3 trillion, the highest 

level since the second quarter of 2007. In the third quarter of 2014, the 

increase in owners’ equity was nearly $176 billion. The change in equity 

since April 1, 2009, when the Administration initiated its broad set of 

actions to stabilize the housing market, now stands at nearly $5.1 trillion 

(+82.2%). (Source: Federal Reserve.)

• House prices showed year-over-year gains continuing to 

stabilize in January. The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) 

seasonally adjusted purchase-only house price index for January showed 

home values rose 0.3 percent over the previous month and 5.1 percent 

over the previous year. The year-over-year house price gain in January was 

slightly lower than the 5.4 percent annual gain recorded in December. 

The FHFA index shows that U.S. home values are approximately on par 

with December 2005 prices and now stand just 3.5 percent below their 

previous peak in March 2007. Another index tracked in the Scorecard, 

the non-seasonally adjusted (NSA) S&P/Case-Shiller 20-City Home Price 

Index, posted year-over-year returns for January of 4.6 percent, slightly 

above the 4.4 percent pace recorded in December. The Case-Shiller index 

showed home values virtually unchanged from the previous month, which 

might be expected for a NSA index at this time of year when sales slow 

after the primary homebuying season (spring and summer) and house prices 

typically flatten or decline. (The Case-Shiller and FHFA price indices are 

released with a 2-month lag.)

• Foreclosure starts continue their annual downward trend. 

Lenders started the public foreclosure process on 47,598 U.S. properties 

in February, down 5 percent from revised January estimates and down 

8 percent from a year earlier. With the exception of just two months, 

foreclosure starts have been declining on an annual basis since July 2012. 

(Source: RealtyTrac.)

• The Administration’s foreclosure mitigation programs 

continue to provide relief for millions of homeowners as the 

recovery from the housing crisis continues. In all, more than 9.3 

million mortgage modification and other forms of mortgage assistance 

arrangements were completed between April 2009 and the end of 

February 2015. More than 2.3 million homeowner assistance actions 

have taken place through the Making Home Affordable Program, including 

nearly 1.5 million permanent modifications through the Home Affordable 

Modification Program (HAMP), while the Federal Housing Administration 

(FHA) has offered nearly 2.7 million loss mitigation and early delinquency 

interventions through February. These Administration programs continue 

to encourage improved standards and processes in the industry, with 

lenders offering families and individuals more than 4.3 million proprietary 

modifications through January (data are reported with a 2-month lag). You 

can read the Treasury’s MHA report here.

Encouraging news notwithstanding, there is a need to continue with recovery efforts 

to foster home sales, help those homeowners who remain underwater, and reduce 

mortgage delinquency rates that remain elevated. There is also considerable 

geographic variation in market conditions not captured in the national statistics, 

which suggests some markets are improving at different rates than others.

March 2015 National Scorecard | Page 1
U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development

The Obama Administration’s Efforts To Stabilize the Housing Market and Help American Homeowners | March 2015

March 2015 National Scorecard | Page 2
U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development

The Obama Administration’s Efforts To Stabilize the Housing Market and Help American Homeowners | March 2015

March 2015 National Scorecard | Page 3
U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development

The Obama Administration’s Efforts To Stabilize the Housing Market and Help American Homeowners | March 2015

March 2015 National Scorecard | Page 4
The Obama Administration’s Efforts To Stabilize the Housing Market and Help American Homeowners U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development | Office of Policy Development and Research | March 2015

U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development

HOUSING ASSISTANCE AND STABILIZATION PERFORMANCE METRICS

Indicator This Period Last Period Cumulative From April 1, 2009 Latest Release

Distressed Homeowners Assisted (thousands)

 HAMP Trial Modifications

 HAMP Permanent Modifications

 FHA Loss Mitigation Interventions 

 HOPE Now Modifications

 HARP Refinances

10.4

10.1

38.9

24.4

10.6

(s)

(s)

9.6

10.8

41.5

25.9

11.2

2,299

1,469

2,693

4,370

3,281

February-15

February-15

February-15

January-15

January-15

Counseled Borrowers (thousands) 336.0 385.2 11,275 3rd Q 14

Borrower Annual Savings ($ millions) 

 HAMP Active Trial Modifications

 HAMP Active Permanent Modifications

 All Refinances

--

--

--

--

--

--

176

8,472

62,330

4th Q 14

4th Q 14

4th Q 14

Activities Completed Under NSP (housing units)

 New Construction or Residential Rehab 

 Demolition or Clearance

 Direct Homeownership Assistance

--

--

--

-- 

-- 

-- 

40,013 [64,158]

23,089 [24,339]

11,158 [16,877]

(b,s)

(b,s)

(b,s)

4th Q 14

4th Q 14

4th Q 14

Change in Aggregate Home Equity ($ billions) 260.4 175.7 (r) 5,075.4 4th Q 14

HOUSING MARKET FACT SHEET

Indicator This Period Last Period Year Ago As of Dec 2008 Latest Release

Mortgage Rates (30-Yr FRM, percent) 3.69 3.78 4.40 5.10 26-Mar15

Housing Affordability (index) 179.7 168.4 (r) 175.7 162.9 January-15

Home Prices (indices)

 Case-Shiller (NSA)

 FHFA (SA)

 CoreLogic–Excluding Distressed Sales (NSA)

172.9

219.0

175.9

173.0

218.3

173.5

(r)

(r)

165.4

208.4

166.6

150.5

195.9

159.8

(r)

January-15

January-15

January-15

Home Sales (thousands, SA)

 New

 Existing

 First-Time Buyers

 Distressed Sales (percent, NSA)

44.9

406.7

149.0

15

(s)

(p)

41.7

401.7

146.3

15

(r)

(r,s)

(r)

36.0

388.3

140.0

19

(s)

31.4

334.2

149.9

32

February-15

February-15

February-15

January-15

Housing Supply

 Existing Homes for Sale (thousands, NSA)

 Existing Homes–Months’ Supply (months)

 New Homes for Sale (thousands, SA)

 New Homes for Sale–Months’ Supply (months, SA)

 Vacant Units Held Off Market (thousands)

1,890

4.6

210

4.7

3,774

1,860

4.6

213

5.1

3,902

(r)

(r)

(r)

(r)

1,900

4.9

186

5.2

3,757

3,130

9.4

353

11.2

3,542

February-15

February-15

February-15

February-15

4th Q 14

Mortgage Originations (thousands)

 Refinance Originations

 Purchase Originations

587.3

665.9

527.7

821.3

(r)

(r)

764.3

791.3

767.1

986.3

4th Q 14

4th Q 14

FHA Originations (thousands)

 Refinance Originations

 Purchase Originations

 Purchases by First-Time Buyers

18.7

35.1

28.4

(p)

(p)

(p)

11.4

33.2

24.9

(r)

(r)

(r)

13.6

34.4

28.0

62.9

72.7

56.2

February-15

February-15

February-15

Mortgage Delinquency Rates (percent)

 Prime

 Subprime

 FHA

2.7

28.5

9.5

2.7

29.6

10.2

3.0

30.6

10.2

4.4

34.3

14.3

February-15

February-15

February-15

Seriously Delinquent Mortgages (thousands) 

 Prime

 Subprime

 FHA

534

874

523

546

899

541

692

1,070

603

915

1,632

333 

February-15

February-15

February-15

Underwater Borrowers (thousands) 5,364 5.193 (r) 6,612 -- 4th Q 14

Foreclosure Actions (thousands)

 Foreclosure Starts

 Foreclosure Completions

 Short Sales 

 REO Sales

47.6

24.3

10.3

25.1

(p)

(p)

50.2

22.3

15.2

35.2

(r)

(r)

(r)

(r)

51.8

30.3

14.2

38.9

148.6

78.9

14.0

74.8 

February-15

February-15 

January-15

January-15

SA = seasonally adjusted, NSA = not SA, p = preliminary, r = revised, b = brackets include units in process, s = see Additional Notes in Sources and Methodology.

March 2015 National Scorecard | Page 5
The Obama Administration’s Efforts To Stabilize the Housing Market and Help American Homeowners U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development | Office of Policy Development and Research | March 2015

U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development

SOURCES AND METHODOLOGY

A. Items in Tables

Description Frequency Sources Notes on Methodology

Distressed Homeowners Assisted 

HAMP Trial Modifications

HAMP Permanent Modifications

HARP Refinances

FHA Loss Mitigation Interventions 

HOPE Now Modifications

Monthly

Monthly

Monthly

Monthly

Monthly

Treasury

Treasury

Federal Housing Finance Agency

HUD

Hope Now Alliance

As reported. Also see additional note in Section C below on HAMP Tier 2.

As reported.

All FHA loss mitigation and early delinquency interventions.

All proprietary modifications completed.

Counseled Borrowers (thousands) Quarterly HUD Housing counseling activity reported by all HUD-approved housing counselors.

Borrower Annual Savings 

HAMP Active Trial Modifications

HAMP Permanent Modifications

All Refinances

Quarterly

Quarterly

Quarterly

HUD, Treasury, and Freddie Mac

HUD and Treasury

HUD, and MBA

HUD estimate of annualized savings based on Treasury reported active HAMP trial modifications and 

Freddie Mac monthly savings estimates. Also see additional note in Section C below on HAMP Tier 2.

HUD estimate of annualized savings based on Treasury reported HAMP permanent modifications and 

median monthly savings estimates. Also see additional notes in Section C below on HAMP Tier 2 and 

change to reporting savings on all permanent modifications. Refinance originations (see below) multiplied by HUD estimate of annualized savings per refinance.

Completed Activities Under NSP 

(housing units)

New Construction or Residential Rehab

Demolition or Clearance

Direct Homeownership Assistance

Quarterly

Quarterly

Quarterly

HUD

HUD

HUD

Housing units constructed/rehabilitated using Neighborhood Stabilization Program. Bracketed 

numbers include units in process.

Housing units demolished/cleared using Neighborhood Stabilization Program. Bracketed 

numbers as above.

Completed downpayment assistance or non-amortizing second mortgages by grantee to make 

purchase of NSP unit affordable. Bracketed numbers as above.

Change in Aggregate Home Equity Quarterly Federal Reserve Board Difference in aggregate household owners’ equity in real estate as reported in the Federal Reserve 

Board’s Flow of Funds Accounts of the United States for stated time period.

Mortgage Rates (30-Yr FRM) Weekly Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, as reported for 30-Year fixed rate mortgages (FRM).

Housing Affordability Monthly National Association of Realtors® NAR’s composite housing affordability index as reported. A value of 100 means that a family 

with the median income has exactly enough income to qualify for a mortgage on a median-priced 

home. An index above 100 signifies that a family earning the median income has more than 

enough income to qualify.

Home Prices 

Case-Shiller (NSA)

FHFA (SA)

CoreLogic - Excluding Distressed Sales 

(NSA)

Monthly

Monthly

Monthly

Standard and Poor’s

Federal Housing Finance Agency

CoreLogic

Case-Shiller 20-metro composite index, January 2000 = 100. Standard and Poor’s recommends 

use of not seasonally adjusted index when making monthly comparisons. FHFA monthly (purchaseonly) index for US, January 1991 = 100. CoreLogic national combined index, distressed sales 

excluded, January 2000 = 100. 

(Only available as NSA).

Home Sales (SA)

New 

Existing 

First Time Buyers

Distressed Sales (NSA)

 

Monthly

Monthly

Monthly

Monthly

HUD and Census Bureau

National Association of Realtors®

NAR, Census Bureau, and HUD

CoreLogic

Seasonally adjusted annual rates divided by 12. A newly constructed house is considered sold 

when either a sales contract has been signed or a deposit accepted, even if this occurs before 

construction has actually started. 

Seasonally adjusted annual rates divided by 12. Existing-home sales, which include single-family, 

townhomes, condominiums and co-ops, are based on transaction closings. This differs from the 

U.S. Census Bureau’s series on new single-family home sales, which are based on contracts or the 

acceptance of a deposit.

Sum of seasonally adjusted new and existing home sales (above) multiplied by National 

Association of Realtors ® annual estimate of first time buyer share of existing home sales.

Short sales and REO (Real Estate Owned) sales as a percent of total existing home sales (current 

month subject to revision).

Housing Supply

Existing Homes for Sale (NSA)

Existing Homes - Months’ Supply

New Homes for Sale (SA)

New Homes for Sale - Months’ Supply (SA)

Vacant Units Held Off Market 

Monthly

Monthly

Monthly

Monthly

Quarterly

National Association of Realtors 

National Association of Realtors 

HUD and Census Bureau

HUD and Census Bureau

Census Bureau

As reported.

As reported.

As reported.

As reported.

As reported in Census CPS/HPS Table 4. Estimates of Housing Inventory, line item “Year-round vacant, held off market for reasons other than occasional use or usually reside elsewhere.” Vacant 

units can be held off the market for a variety of reasons.

Mortgage Originations 

Refinance Originations

Purchase Originations

Quarterly

Quarterly

Mortgage Bankers Association 

and HUD

Mortgage Bankers Association 

and HUD

HUD estimate of refinance originations based on MBA estimate of dollar volume of refinance 

originations.

HUD estimate of home purchase originations based on MBA estimate of dollar volume of home 

purchase originations. 

FHA Originations 

Refinance Originations

Purchase Originations

Purchases by First Time Buyers

Monthly

Monthly

Monthly

HUD 

HUD

HUD

FHA originations reported as of date of loan closing. Estimate for current month scaled upward due 

to normal reporting lag and shown as preliminary.

Mortgage Delinquency Rates (NSA)

Prime

Subprime

FHA

Monthly

Monthly

Monthly

LPS Applied Analytics

HUD

Total mortgages past due (30+ days) but not in foreclosure, divided by mortgages actively serviced.

Total FHA mortgages past due (30+ days) but not in foreclosure, divided by FHA’s insurance in force.

Seriously Delinquent Mortgages 

Prime

Subprime

FHA

Monthly 

Monthly

Monthly

LPS Applied Analytics, MBA, and HUD

HUD

Mortgages 90+ days delinquent or in foreclosure, scaled up to market.

Mortgages 90+ days delinquent or in foreclosure.

Underwater Borrowers Quarterly CoreLogic As reported. 

Foreclosure Actions

Foreclosure Starts

Foreclosure Completions

Short sales

REO Sales

Monthly

Monthly

Monthly

Monthly

Realty Trac

Realty Trac

CoreLogic

CoreLogic

Foreclosure starts are reported counts of notice of default or scheduled foreclosure auction, 

depending on which action starts the foreclosure process in a state. 

Real Estate Owned (REO).

Count of Short Sales for the month as reported (current month subject to revision).

Count of REO (Real Estate Owned) Sales for the month as reported 

(current month subject to revision).

March 2015 National Scorecard | Page 6
The Obama Administration’s Efforts To Stabilize the Housing Market and Help American Homeowners U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development | Office of Policy Development and Research | March 2015

U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development

SOURCES AND METHODOLOGY

B. Notes on Charts.

1. Monthly house price trends shown as changes in respective house price indices applied to a common base price set equal to the median price of an existing 

home sold in January 2003 as reported by the National Association of Realtors. Indices shown: S&P/Case Shiller 20-metro composite index (NSA), January 

2000 = 100, FHFA monthly (purchase-only) index for US (SA), January 1991 = 100, and CoreLogic-Distressed Sales Excluded (Monthly) for US (NSA), 

January 2000 =100. 

2. S&P/Case-Shiller 10-metro composite index (NSA) as reported monthly. Implied Case-Shiller futures index figures report forward expectations for the level 

of the S&P/Case Shiller index as of the date indicated, estimated from prices of futures purchased on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange reported by CME 

Group. The January 2009 market trend projection reports forward expectations estimated from prices of futures contracts reported by Radar Logic. Also see 

additional note in Section C below.

3. Reported seasonally adjusted annual rates for new and existing home sales divided by 12.

4. HUD estimate of refinance originations based on MBA estimate of dollar volume of refinance originations.

5. Cumulative HAMP permanent modifications started, FHA loss mitigation and early delinquency interventions, plus proprietary modifications completed as 

reported by HOPE Now Alliance. Some homeowners may be counted in more than one category. Foreclosure completions are properties entering Real 

Estate Owned (REO) as reported by Realty Trac. Also see additional note in Section C below on HAMP Tier 2.

6. Beginning with the September 2012 release, filings of a notice of default or scheduled foreclosure auction, depending on which action starts the foreclosure process 

in a state, are reported for foreclosure starts. Foreclosure defaults previously had been reported as a proxy for foreclosure starts. Foreclosure completions are 

properties entering REO. Both as reported by Realty Trac. 

7. See “Borrower Annual Savings” above.

8. FHA market shares as FHA purchase and refinance originations divided by HUD estimates of purchase and refinance mortgage originations as noted in 

“Mortgage Originations” above. See additional note below on FHA market share.

C. Additional Notes.

Beginning with the February 2013 release, the House Price Expectations Chart was updated by replacing market expectations as they existed in January 

2009 with expectations as of December 2011. Prices of futures purchased for the S&P/Case-Shiller 10-metro composite index, available on the web 

from CME Group, were used to estimate expectations for December 2011 and for the current month. Market trend as of January 2009 is estimated from 

percentage changes in house price futures based on a different house price index: RadarLogic RPX. This trend has been added back to the chart because it 

imparts important information on how house price expectations have changed over time.

Beginning with the January 2013 release, mortgage aid under HAMP Tier 2 is included in the totals. Effective June 2012, HAMP Tier 2 expanded eligibility 

requirements to further reduce foreclosures and help stabilize neighborhoods. For non-GSE loans, eligibility was expanded to allow for more flexible debt-toincome criteria and to include properties currently occupied by a tenant, as well as vacant properties which a borrower intends to rent.

FHA market share estimates are based on new methodology beginning with the October 2013 report; estimates were revised back through Q1 2013. See 

the FHA Market Share report on their website for an explanation of the new methodology: http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/

housing/rmra/oe/rpts/fhamktsh/fhamktqtrly.

The Q4 2014 NSP projection count was revised for demolition or clearance and the actual and projection counts were revised for direct homeownership 

assistance. 

The estimate for first-time buyers was revised downward from 38 percent to 33 percent based on the NAR Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers 2014.

Beginning with the January 2015 release, savings on permanent modifications are reported based on all permanent modifications instead of active 

permanent modifications. This change was made because of a change in reporting by the Treasury Department, which now reports the median monthly 

savings on all permanent modifications instead of active permanent modifications.

March 2015 National Scorecard | Page 7
The Obama Administration’s Efforts To Stabilize the Housing Market and Help American Homeowners U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development | Office of Policy Development and Research | March 2015

U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development

Appendix

The Administration has taken a broad set of actions to stabilize the housing market and help 

American homeowners. Three years ago, stress in the financial system had severely reduced 

the supply of mortgage credit, limiting the ability of Americans to buy homes or refinance 

mortgages. Millions of responsible families who had made their monthly payments and had 

fulfilled their obligations saw their property values fall. They also found themselves unable to 

refinance at lower mortgage rates.

In February 2009, less than one month after taking office, President Obama announced the 

Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan. As part of this plan and through other housing 

initiatives, the Administration has taken the following actions to strengthen the housing market:

• Supported Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to ensure continued access to affordable 

mortgage credit;

• The Federal Reserve and the U.S. Treasury purchased more than $1.4 trillion in agency 

mortgage backed securities through independent MBS purchase programs, helping to 

keep mortgage rates at historic lows;

• Launched a modification initiative to help homeowners reduce mortgage payments to 

affordable levels and to prevent avoidable foreclosures;

• Launched a $23.5 billion Housing Finance Agencies Initiative to increase sustainable 

homeownership and rental resources;

• Supported the First Time Homebuyer Tax Credit, which helped more than 2.5 million 

American families purchase homes;

• Provided more than $5 billion in support for affordable rental housing through low 

income housing tax credit programs and $6.92 billion in support for the Neighborhood 

Stabilization Program to restore neighborhoods hardest hit by the concentrated 

foreclosures;

• Created the $7.6 billion HFA Hardest Hit Fund for innovative foreclosure prevention 

programs in the nation’s hardest hit housing markets; 

• Launched the $1 billion Emergency Homeowners Loan Program, as part of the DoddFrank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, to help unemployed and 

underemployed homeowners pay a portion of their monthly mortgage.

• Created an FHA Short Refinance Option that helps underwater borrowers refinance into 

a new, stable, FHA-insured mortgage that is more aligned with actual property values.

• Supported home purchase and refinance activity through the FHA to provide access to 

affordable mortgage capital and help homeowners prevent foreclosures.

• Implemented a series of changes to the Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP) in 

an effort to attract more eligible borrowers who can benefit from refinancing their home 

mortgages during this time of historically low mortgage rates.

###

March 2015 National Scorecard | Page 8