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FHFA: Foreclosure Prevention Report – January 2020

Investor Update
April 10, 2020

Source: FHFA

January 2020 Highlights — Foreclosure Prevention

The Enterprises’ Foreclosure Prevention Actions:

• The Enterprises completed 9,108 foreclosure prevention actions in January, bringing the total to 4,416,074 since the start of the conservatorships in September 2008. Over half of these actions have been permanent loan modifications.

• There were 5,827 permanent loan modifications in January, bringing the total to 2,395,909 since the conservatorships began in September 2008.

• Twenty-five percent of modifications in January were modifications with principal forbearance. Modifications with extend-term only accounted for 64 percent of all loan modifications during the month.

• There were 442 short sales and deeds-in-lieu of foreclosure completed in January, up 30 percent compared with December 2019.

The Enterprises’ Mortgage Performance:

• The serious delinquency rate decreased slightly from 0.65 percent at the end of December 2019 to 0.64 percent at the end of January 2020.

The Enterprises’ Foreclosures:

• Third-party and foreclosure sales increased 27 percent from 2,537 in December to 3,225 in January.

• Foreclosure starts increased from 10,670 in December to 11,624 in January.

January 2020 Highlights — Refinance Activities

• Total refinance volume decreased in January 2020 but remained near the highs observed in late 2019 as mortgage rates remained near lows last observed in 2015. Mortgage rates decreased in January: the average interest rate on a 30-year fixed rate mortgage fell to 3.62 percent from 3.72 percent in December.

• In January 2020, 4 refinances were completed through the High LTV Refinance Option, bringing total refinances through the High LTV Refinance Option from the inception of the program to 15.

• The percentage of cash-out refinances continued at 42 percent in January remaining well below the peak observed in late 2018. Mortgage rates have fallen from the highs observed a year ago to lows last observed in 2015, creating more opportunities for non cash-out borrowers to refinance at lower rates and lower their monthly payments.

Attachments:

Foreclosure Prevention, Refi and FPM Report-Jan 2020

CEO

Alan Jaffa

Alan Jaffa is the Chief Executive Officer for Safeguard Properties, steering the company as the mortgage field services industry leader. He also serves on the board of advisors for SCG Partners, a middle-market private equity fund focused on diversifying and expanding Safeguard Properties’ business model into complimentary markets.

Alan joined Safeguard in 1995, learning the business from the ground up. He was promoted to Chief Operating Officer in 2002, and was named CEO in May 2010. His hands-on experience has given him unique insights as a leader to innovate, improve and strengthen Safeguard’s processes to assure that the company adheres to the highest standards of quality and customer service.

Under Alan’s leadership, Safeguard has grown significantly with strategies that have included new and expanded services, technology investments that deliver higher quality and greater efficiency to clients, and strategic acquisitions. He takes a team approach to process improvement, involving staff at all levels of the organization to address issues, brainstorm solutions, and identify new and better ways to serve clients.

In 2008, Alan was recognized by Crain’s Cleveland Business in its annual “40-Under-40” profile of young leaders. He also was named a NEO Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® Award finalist in 2013.

Esq., General Counsel and EVP

Linda Erkkila

Linda Erkkila is the General Counsel and Executive Vice President for Safeguard Properties, with oversight of legal, human resources, training, and compliance. Linda’s broad scope of oversight covers regulatory issues that impact Safeguard’s operations, risk mitigation, strategic planning, human resources and training initiatives, compliance, insurance, litigation and claims management, and counsel related to mergers, acquisition and joint ventures.

Linda assures that Safeguard’s strategic initiatives align with its resources, leverage opportunities across the company, and contemplate compliance mandates. She has practiced law for 25 years and her experience, both as outside and in-house counsel, covers a wide range of corporate matters, including regulatory disclosure, corporate governance compliance, risk assessment, compensation and benefits, litigation management, and mergers and acquisitions.

Linda earned her JD at Cleveland-Marshall College of Law. She holds a degree in economics from Miami University and an MBA. Linda was previously named as both a “Woman of Influence” by HousingWire and as a “Leading Lady” by MReport.

COO

Michael Greenbaum

Michael Greenbaum is the Chief Operating Officer of Safeguard Properties, where he has played a pivotal role since joining the company in July 2010. Initially brought on as Vice President of REO, Mike’s exceptional leadership and strategic vision quickly propelled him to Vice President of Operations in 2013, and ultimately to COO in 2015. Over his 14-year tenure at Safeguard, Mike has been instrumental in driving change and fostering innovation within the Property Preservation sector, consistently delivering excellence and becoming a trusted partner to clients and investors.

A distinguished graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, Mike earned a degree in Quantitative Economics. Following his graduation, he served in the U.S. Army’s Ordnance Branch, where he specialized in supply chain management. Before his tenure at Safeguard, Mike honed his expertise by managing global supply chains for 13 years, leveraging his military and civilian experience to lead with precision and efficacy.

CFO

Joe Iafigliola

Joe Iafigliola is the Chief Financial Officer for Safeguard Properties. Joe is responsible for the Control, Quality Assurance, Business Development, Marketing, Accounting, and Information Security departments. At the core of his responsibilities is the drive to ensure that Safeguard’s focus remains rooted in Customer Service = Resolution. Through his executive leadership role, he actively supports SGPNOW.com, an on-demand service geared towards real estate and property management professionals as well as individual home owners in need of inspection and property preservation services. Joe is also an integral force behind Compliance Connections, a branch of Safeguard Properties that allows code enforcement professionals to report violations at properties that can then be addressed by the Safeguard vendor network. Compliance Connections also researches and shares vacant property ordinance information with Safeguard clients.

Joe has an MBA from The Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University, is a Certified Management Accountant (CMA), and holds a bachelor’s degree from The Ohio State University’s Honors Accounting program.

Business Development

Carrie Tackett

Business Development Safeguard Properties