If Texas Real Estate is HOT, Why the High Foreclosures?

Here's a good question. If the Texas real estate market is so hot, why are our best cities (Austin, Dallas, Houston and San Antonio) experiencing the highest foreclosures in the nation?

Great question! In recent years, Texas home sales outpaced our counterparts along with nice appreciation in our largest cities. My hypothesis is that foreclosures are the downside of a frenzied real estate market.

FACTORS IN THE TEXAS FORECLOSURE RATE

1. Home seller refinances. In 2003-2004, mortgage rates were at historic lows. Many home owners refinanced to make improvements or purchase consumer goods. This is a set up for a foreclosure because the owner has removed their equity, perhaps overimproved the property and now have higher property taxes and mortgage payments.
2. Adjustable rate and zero down loans. Texas was a buyer's market at the same time rates were historically low.  Zero down loans or adjustable rate mortgages were the mortgage product of choice. Most of those adjustable loans were 3-5 year, so the rates have been increasing every 6 months. A refinance in Texas requires at least 80% loan to value ratio on homestead properties and 90% on investments. For buyers with no equity, but an increasing payment, a foreclosure is one of the few options.
3. Risky investor loans. Investors have been buying in Austin, Dallas, Houston and San Antonio in droves. Most were putting less than 10% down and had high interest rates, but little or no cashflow. In Austin and Dallas, it was common to buy negative cashflow and negative equity properties on speculation. Now, San Antonio and Houston are especially seeing a glut of low-end investment properties, so days on market has increased.

The bottom line is that no market is ever going to be completely predictable. Texas is unique in many aspects, but home buying decisions should always be based on the property's current value.

Link: San Antonio foreclosure and the Texas A&M research on the issue.

Check out the interesting post about Affordable, Luxury and Modern Home market in Texas.