The percentage of mortgage loans 30 days or more past due declined sharply during January, according to Black Knight, Inc.
The delinquency rate in January was 4.31 percent, down 8.57 percent from December. The January rate was slightly higher (1.31 percent) than it was in January 2016, Black Knight found.
The foreclosure pre-sale inventory rate for January was 0.66 percent, up from December (1.84 percent) but down 30.35 percent from January 2016, according to Black Knight.
Foreclosure starts in January (62,300) were up 40 percent from December and down 11.51 percent year-over-year.
The number of properties with mortgages 90 days or more past due (707,000) declined by 19,000 in January compared with December. However, on a year-over-year basis that number increased by 43,000.
Black Knight said the states with the highest percentage of non-current loans in January were Mississippi (10.95 percent); Louisiana (9.34 percent); Florida (8.34 percent); Alabama (7.47 percent); and
West Virginia (7.17 percent).
States with the lowest percent of non-current loans in January were Idaho (2.59 percent); Washington (2.5 percent); Oregon (2.43 percent); North Dakota (2.36 percent); and Colorado (2 percent).