Strategic Defaults Remain Risk for MBS Investors, But State Recourse Laws Provide Some Protection
October 7, 2011
The strategic default problem is not going away, keeping pressure on servicers and MBS investors to find ways to dis-incentivize these actions. House prices continue to fall, and more underwater homeowners are willing to batter their credit rating and default on their mortgage to get out of an uneconomic deal. In a recent report, analysts at Deutsche Bank said the threat of legal action and risks to assets other than the mortgaged property play a large role in a homeowners decision to strategically default. Eleven states are considered non-recourse states, either because they explicitly forbid deficiency judgments or...