Executive Fraud Blog

Falling home prices have made an increasing number of U.S. homeowners more vulnerable to default, they said. Nearly a third of subprime borrowers owed more than their home was worth at the end of last year, and that figure will double to 63 percent in 2009

It is interesting that borrowers facing these circumstances tend to walk away from their homes while continuing to make their credit card payments. Although falling home prices is one factor in this problem, many people forget most of these subprime loans were option ARMs. Most of the option ARM loans had low teaser rates that led not only to payment shock at the reset date but also allowed borrowers to defer payments that were added to the principle of the loan (negative amortization). The gamble made by most borrowers was that home prices would continue to increase by the same amount (or hopefully more) then the increasing principle of the loan. Since home prices fell and loan principles had been steadily increasing, the loan to property value (LTV) for most subprime borrowers has increased so significantly that the decision to walk away is becoming a legitimate option.