How many mortgage loans are in forbearance?

The Mortgage Bankers Association reported that the percentage of mortgage loans in forbearance rose to 0.27% as of July 31, 2024, with approximately 135,000 homeowners seeking relief, an increase of about 20,000 from the previous month. This rise is largely attributed to recent natural disasters, which accounted for 27% of forbearance cases. Despite the increase, overall loan servicing performance improved slightly. The survey noted that 66.8% of borrowers cited temporary hardships, while 26.7% attributed their forbearance to natural disasters.