the situation for homeowners could become when a housing bubble bursts. A study in 2007 by the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston found that home values are a huge contributing factor to foreclosure. According to the study, homeowners whose home value dipped by 20% or more were about 14 times more likely to go into foreclosure than those who witnessed a 20% increase in the value of their home. During the Great Recession, many homeowners with “underwater” mortgages made the unfortunate decision to simply walk away and stop making their payments. They chose — or felt they were forced — to ignore the many harmful ramifications to their credit and personal lives. In some cases, selling their home did not seem like a viable option for them. Countrywide Financial also cites economic performance as a cause of foreclosures. In its 2007 survey, Countrywide found that the main reason for foreclosure, was “curtailment of income” (58% of the time). This far exceeds some of the other reasons, such as: • Illness or medical reasons made up 13% of foreclosures. • Divorce accounted for 8%. • An inability to sell the house clocked in at 6%. Surprisingly, payment adjustment on a mortgage was cited as a reason just 1.4% of the time. Other reasons noted include:
• Job loss • Job transfer or relocation • Deceased family member • Excessive debt and mounting bills • Maintenance issues they can no longer afford 18
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