Source

U.S. prime jumbo mortgages at least 60 days late backing securities reached 9.6 percent in January
from 9.2 percent in December, the 32nd straight increase for
“serious delinquencies,” according to Fitch Ratings.

“The trend line for delinquencies indicates the 10 percent level could be reached as early as next month,” Vincent Barberio, a Fitch managing director in New York, said today in a
statement. The rate almost tripled in 2009, Fitch said.

Soured debt across loans backing so-called non-agency securities ballooned last year amid new defaults caused by slumps in home prices and employment, and as the federal
government pushed loan servicers to consider debt modifications
and states moved to slow foreclosures, reducing property
liquidations after borrowers stopped paying.

The share of borrowers current the previous month and that then turned delinquent fell to 1.2 percent in the month covered by January bond reports, down from 1.3 percent as of December
reports, Fitch said. The jumbo sector of the non-agency market
was the only one in which so-called roll rates -- or the amount
of loans turning delinquent -- rose from a year ago, according
to the statement.

Jumbo home loans are larger than government-supported mortgage companies Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac can finance. Their limits now range from $417,000 in most places to as much as
$729,750 in high-cost areas. Loans in jumbo securities can be
smaller than those amounts if they were issued in earlier years.
Non-agency mortgage securities lack guarantees from Fannie Mae,
Freddie Mac or federal agency Ginnie Mae.

After falling as low as 63 cents on the dollar in March, typical prices for the most-senior securities backed by fixed- rate prime-jumbo loans were at 83 cents last week, according to
Barclays Capital data. Prices have fallen 3 cents on the dollar
over the past month amid declines across credit markets.