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California Wildfires Update: Containment and Evacuation Information

Posted on January 23, 2025June 10, 2026 by Safeguard

Disaster Alert
January 23, 2025

Source: Cal Fire

Below is the latest information regarding containment, evacuations areas, and more for the Hughes Fire, the Palisades Fire, and the Eaton Fire. The Hurst Fire was reported to be 100% contained as of 1/16/25 and evacuation orders have been lifted.

As of this afternoon, Cal Fire reports 50,683 acres burned, 28 fatalities and over 16,000 structures destroyed.

Palisades Fire:

23,448 Acres

72% Containment

904 Structures Damaged (Residential, Commercial, and Other)

6,770 Structures Destroyed (Residential, Commercial, and Other)

Areas in red remain under evacuation order; areas in light yellow are under evacuation warning.

Eaton Fire:

14,021 Acres

95% Containment

1,073 Structures Damaged (Residential, Commercial, and Other)

9,418 Structures Destroyed (Residential, Commercial, and Other)

As of this afternoon (1/23) all evacuation orders have been lifted for the area.

Hughes Fire:

10,176 Acres

14% Containment

The Hughes Fire began yesterday, 1/22/25 around 11:00 am PST. As the situation is still developing, we do not have damage information at this time. The Hughes Fire is affecting areas of both Los Angeles County and Ventura County.

Areas in red are under evacuation orders; areas in light yellow are under evacuation warning.

Click here for a list of zip codes that may be associated with affected areas, designated by fire.

We will continue to update as additional information is acquired.

To order an inspection, please log-in to your SafeView Access account.

To read the full articles, please click the source links above.

Share of Mortgage Loans in Forbearance Decreases Slightly to .47% in December

Posted on January 22, 2025 by Safeguard

Industry Update
January 21, 2025

Source: Mortgage Bankers Association

The Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) monthly Loan Monitoring Survey revealed that the total number of loans now in forbearance decreased by 3 basis points from 0.50% of servicers’ portfolio volume in the prior month to 0.47% as of December 31, 2024. According to MBA’s estimate, 235,000 homeowners are in forbearance plans. Mortgage servicers have provided forbearance to approximately 8.5 million borrowers since March 2020.

The share of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans in forbearance decreased 2 basis points to 0.19% in December 2024. Ginnie Mae loans in forbearance decreased by 4 basis points to 1.07%, and the forbearance share for portfolio loans and private-label securities (PLS) decreased 2 basis points to 0.40%.

“The overall mortgage forbearance rate decreased slightly in December as some borrowers got back on track following last fall’s severe weather in the Southeast,” said Marina Walsh, CMB, MBA’s Vice President of Industry Analysis. “Even with the slight decrease, the level of forbearance is higher than it was six months ago across all loan types and the performance of servicing portfolios and loan workouts has weakened.”

Added Walsh, “At year end, almost 43% of borrowers in forbearance were there due to a natural disaster. Given the disruption and devastation caused by the California wildfires, that share will likely move higher in the months ahead, as homeowners turn to forbearance to allow time to navigate their recovery process.

For full report, please click the source link above.

HUD Updates Options to Help Homeowners Keep Their Homes

Posted on January 22, 2025January 22, 2025 by Safeguard

Industry Update
January 16, 2025

Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), through its Federal Housing Administration (FHA), announced an updated set of permanent options for mortgage servicers to help borrowers with FHA-insured single-family mortgages keep their homes or otherwise avoid foreclosure when they fall behind on their mortgage payments. The options, commonly referred to as FHA’s loss mitigation “waterfall,” builds off and update the temporary options FHA implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic based on FHA and mortgage servicers’ experience in helping more than two million struggling borrowers stay in their homes over the last four years. Servicers must implement and make these options available to borrowers beginning February 2, 2026. FHA’s current, temporary COVID-19 options will remain in place through February 1, 2026.

“HUD is focused on helping first time homeowners, and we are also focused on helping homeowners keep their homes,” said HUD Agency Head Adrianne Todman. “The updates to our home retention options build upon options we created during the pandemic to help borrowers.”

“The updates we’re announcing today are based on solutions that have proven to be effective in helping struggling homeowners avoid foreclosure and reduce losses to the Mutual Mortgage Insurance Fund,” said Federal Housing Commissioner Julia Gordon. “We are confident that this updated, permanent set of options will help FHA sustain homeownership during future challenging times.”

FHA’s permanent loss mitigation options will be available through mortgage servicers for borrowers who fall behind on their mortgage payments regardless of the reason for their hardship. The updated tools are structured to meet a variety of borrower needs under the following categories:

Early Default Intervention: For borrowers who begin to experience problems with making mortgage payments, servicers may provide a repayment plan to bring the mortgage current or provide a forbearance period – a temporary pause or reduction in mortgage payments – incrementally for up to 12 months. For borrowers impacted by natural disasters, a special disaster forbearance option provides additional flexibilities.

Home Retention Options: Depending on a borrower’s financial situation, servicers are provided with loss mitigation tools that will help bring the mortgage current so the borrower can retain their home. Options include FHA’s standalone partial claim or a standalone loan modification that offers payment reduction for borrowers who can resume making their existing monthly mortgage payments. For those borrowers who cannot afford their current monthly mortgage payment, additional options that target a 25 percent reduction in the Principal and Interest portion of the payment – a standalone loan modification, a combination loan modification with a partial claim, and Payment Supplement – are available.

Home Disposition Options: Where borrowers who, after exhausting all other home retention options, cannot afford to keep their homes, servicers will provide options that will help these borrowers avoid foreclosure, including a pre-foreclosure sale and a deed-in-lieu of foreclosure.

“The updated waterfall is based upon the successful outcomes we’ve achieved for borrowers by continually evolving our loss mitigation options throughout the pandemic. The waterfall also adds additional guardrails to reduce risk and losses to HUD,” said Deputy Assistant Secretary for Single Family Housing Sarah Edelman. “We attribute our loss mitigation success in part to the regular ongoing dialogue we’ve maintained with industry and consumer group stakeholders throughout the pandemic and beyond to share lessons learned on how to best help those who are struggling financially.”

FHA is also announcing an additional 60-day feedback period for its proposed Equity Saver Sale. The Equity Saver Sale would be a future addition to FHA’s Home Disposition Options and would permit borrowers to list and sell homes that have retained equity while the mortgage servicer pauses foreclosure. The proposal is posted on FHA’s Single Family Drafting Table web page. FHA is soliciting feedback on this proposal through March 17, 2025.

For full report, please click the source link above.

Foreclosure Filings for All 50 States in December 2024

Posted on January 22, 2025 by Safeguard

Industry Update
January 17, 2025

Source: ATTOM

In December 2024, the U.S. housing market experienced a slight decline in foreclosure activity with 28,632 U.S. properties with foreclosure filings – marking a 3% decline from the previous month and 6% decline from a year ago. The U.S. housing market recorded foreclosure filings on one in every 4,922 properties, reflecting a slight easing in foreclosure activity. Foreclosure starts totaled 19,376 properties, down 4% from the previous month and 5% from December 2023, while completed foreclosures decreased by 4% monthly and 16% annually. These trends highlight modest changes in foreclosure activity that may be shaped by evolving economic conditions.

Rob Barber, CEO of ATTOM, observed that the continued decline in foreclosure activity throughout 2024 suggests a housing market that may be stabilizing, despite persistent economic uncertainties. He noted that this year’s data indicates foreclosure trends potentially returning to more predictable levels, offering some clarity for industry professionals, investors, and homeowners. While foreclosure filings remain an essential metric for assessing market health, Barber highlighted that current trends may reflect a more balanced landscape, influenced by prudent lending practices and resilient homeowners.

See the full list here.

For full report, please click the source link above.

Bill Pulte Trump’s Pick for FHFA Director

Posted on January 17, 2025 by Safeguard

Industry Update
January 17, 2025

Source: National Mortgage Professional

In a Thursday post on his social media network Truth Social, President-elect Donald Trump announced his plan to nominate Bill Pulte as director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA).

“Bill needs no formal introduction to the Great Citizens of our Country,” Trump wrote, “because they have seen, and many have experienced, his philanthropy firsthand.”

The founder and CEO of the private equity group Pulte Capital Partners, LLC, and former director of PulteGroup, Inc., Pulte has been a vocal Trump supporter, much like Trump’s nominee to lead the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Scott Turner.

President and CEO of the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA), Bob Broeksmit, congratulated Pulte on the nomination in a press release.

“We look forward to working with him and the FHFA staff on policies and programs that boost housing supply and create affordable opportunities for our nation’s homebuyers and renters,” Broeksmit said, “while protecting taxpayers and ensuring a robust secondary mortgage market and Federal Home Loan Bank system for single-family and multifamily lenders.”

As FHFA director, Pulte will oversee the conservatorship of the government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs), Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Plans to end the conservatorship, initiated during the first Trump administration, are anticipated to be successful during the next one.

Former FHFA director Sandra Thompson recently announced her resignation effective January 19th, 2025, one day before Trump assumes office.

For full report, please click the source link above.

CoreLogic Estimates the Eaton and Palisades Fires are Causing Devasting Initial Property Losses Estimated to be Between $35-45 Billion

Posted on January 17, 2025 by Safeguard

Industry Update
January 16, 2025

Source: CoreLogic

CoreLogic®, a leading global property information, analytics and data-enabled solutions provider, today announced preliminary residential and commercial loss estimates for the Eaton and Palisades Fires in Los Angeles, California. According to this new data analysis, ongoing losses from the Los Angeles wildfires are estimated to be between $35 to $45 billion, as both fires are less than 50% contained as of Thursday afternoon. CoreLogic will provide final insured loss estimates once the fires have been fully contained.

This analysis of both residential and commercial properties accounts for both fire and smoke damage as well as demand surge, debris removal, clean up and Additional Living Expenses (ALE). The majority of losses are to residential properties. Many of the potentially impacted properties are high value homes, so even moderate damage from the fires or smoke could result in costly claims.

“The destruction caused by these fires is anticipated to be the most expensive in the state’s history with effects on the insurance industry that will persist into the future. This event highlights the paramount challenge for homeowners and the insurers that support them – the increasing density of homes and properties near the wildlife-urban-interface,” said Tom Larsen, Senior Director of CoreLogic Insurance Solutions. “Los Angeles is a resilient community, and as they look to rebuild it will be essential to design or redesign with mitigation practices in mind, so an event of this magnitude never happens again.”

CoreLogic is supporting recovery efforts for people affected by the wildfires through a donation to the Red Cross, enabling them to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from these disasters. To join us, visit the Red Cross website.

Please visit the CoreLogic natural hazard risk information center, CoreLogic Hazard HQ Command Central™ to get access to the most up-to-date wildfire data and see reports from previous catastrophes.

For full report, please click the source link above.

U.S. Foreclosure Activity Declines in 2024

Posted on January 17, 2025 by Safeguard

Industry Update
January 15, 2025

Source: ATTOM

ATTOM, a leading curator of land, property data, and real estate analytics, today released its Year-End 2024 U.S. Foreclosure Market Report, which shows foreclosure filings— default notices, scheduled auctions and bank repossessions — were reported on 322,103 U.S. properties in 2024, down 10 percent from 2023 and down 1 percent from 2022 and down 35 percent from 2019, before the pandemic shook up the market. Foreclosure filings in 2024 were also down 89 percent from a peak of nearly 2.9 million in 2010.

Those 322,103 properties with foreclosure filings in 2024 represented 0.23 percent of all U.S. housing units, down slightly from 0.25 percent in 2023, and down from 0.36 percent in 2019 and down from a peak of 2.23 percent in 2010.

“The continued decline in foreclosure activity throughout 2024 suggests a housing market that may be stabilizing, even as economic uncertainties persist,” said Rob Barber, CEO at ATTOM. “This year’s data points to foreclosure trends potentially returning to more predictable levels, offering some clarity for industry professionals, investors, and homeowners. While foreclosure filings remain a critical metric for understanding market health, current trends may point to a more balanced landscape, potentially shaped by careful lending practices and ongoing homeowner resilience.”

ATTOM’s year-end foreclosure report provides a unique count of properties with a foreclosure filing during the year based on publicly recorded and published foreclosure filings collected in more than 3,000 counties nationwide, accounting for more than 99 percent of the U.S. population – also available for licensing or customized reporting. See full methodology below.

The report also includes new data for December 2024, showing there were 28,632 U.S. properties with foreclosure filings, down 3 percent from the previous month and down 6 percent from a year ago.

Foreclosure starts on the decline nationwide

Lenders started the foreclosure process on 253,306 U.S. properties in 2024, down 6 percent from 2023, up 174 percent from 2021, but down 25 percent form 2019 and down 88 percent from a peak of 2,139,005 in 2009.

States that saw the greatest number of foreclosure starts in 2024 included California (29,529 foreclosure starts); Florida (29,239 foreclosure starts); Texas (28,946 foreclosure starts); New York (14,436 foreclosure starts); and Illinois (13,082 foreclosure starts).

Those metropolitan statistical areas with a population greater than 1 million that saw the greatest number of foreclosure starts in 2024, included New York, New York (15,327 foreclosure starts); Chicago, Illinois (11,508 foreclosure starts); Houston, Texas (10,197 foreclosure starts); Los Angeles, California (8,790 foreclosure starts); and Miami, FL (8,603 foreclosure starts).

Bank repossessions continue second year of decline

Lenders repossessed 36,505 properties through foreclosures (REO) in 2024, down 13 percent from 2023 and down 75 percent from 2019 (143,955) and down 97 percent from a peak of 1,050,500 in 2010.

States that saw the greatest number of REOs in 2024 included California (3,466 REOs); Illinois (2,858 REOs); Pennsylvania (2,828 REOs); Michigan (2,629 REOs); and Texas (2,501 REOs).

Those metropolitan statistical areas with a population greater than 1 million that saw the greatest number of REOs in 2024 included Chicago, IL (1,976 REOs); New York, New York (1,815 REOs); Detroit, Michigan (1,575 REOs); Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (946 REOs); and Baltimore, Maryland (905 REOs).

Florida, New Jersey, and Nevada post highest state foreclosure rates in 2024

States with the highest foreclosure rates in 2024 were Florida (1 in ever 267 housing units with a foreclosure filing); New Jersey (1 in every 267 housing units); Nevada (1 in every 273 housing units); Illinois (1 in every 278 housing units); and South Carolina (1 in every 304 housing units).

Rounding out the top 10 states with the highest foreclosure rates in 2024, were Connecticut (1 in every 306 housing units); Maryland (1 in every 322 housing units); Ohio (1 in every 325 housing units); Indiana (1 in every 328 housing units); and Delaware (1 in every 329 housing units).

Lakeland, Atlantic City, and Columbia post highest metro foreclosure rates in 2024

Among 224 metropolitan statistical areas with a population of at least 200,000, those with the highest foreclosure rates in 2024 were Lakeland, FL (1 in every 172 housing units with a foreclosure filing); Atlantic City, New Jersey (1 in every 200 housing units); Columbia, SC (1 in every 204 housing units); Cleveland, OH (1 in every 208 housing units); and Las Vegas, NV (1 in every 231 housing units).

Metro areas with a population greater than 1 million, including Cleveland, Ohio and Las Vegas, Nevada that had the highest foreclosure rates in 2024 were: Orlando, Florida (1 in every 234 housing units); Jacksonville, Florida (1 in every 241 housing units); Chicago, Illinois (1 in every 245 housing units); and Miami, Florida (1 in every 247 housing units).

Average time to foreclose decreases quarterly but increases annually

U.S. properties foreclosed in the fourth quarter of 2024 had been in the foreclosure process an average of 762 days, a 6 percent decrease from the previous quarter but a 6 percent increase from a year ago.

States with the longest average time to foreclose in Q4 2024 were Louisiana (3,015 days); Hawaii (2,505 days); New York (2,099 days); Wisconsin (1,989 days); and Nevada (1,750 days).

Q4 2024 Foreclosure Activity High-Level Takeaways

There was a total of 84,361 U.S. properties with foreclosure filings in Q4 2024, down 3 percent from the previous quarter and down 9 percent from a year ago.

Nationwide in Q4 2024, one in every 1,671 properties had a foreclosure filing.

States with the highest foreclosure rates in Q4 2023 were Nevada (one in every 1,003 housing units with a foreclosure filing); Florida (one in every 1,110 housing units); New Jersey (one in every 1,127 housing units); Indiana (one in every 1,141 housing units); and Connecticut (one in every 1,222 housing units).

For full report, please click the source link above.

FEMA Major Disaster Declaration – Alaska Severe Storm and Flooding

Posted on January 16, 2025 by Safeguard

FEMA Alert
January 15, 2025

FEMA has issued a Major Disaster Declaration for the state of Alaska to supplement state, tribal, and local recovery efforts in areas affected by a severe storm and flooding from October 20-23, 2024. The following areas have been approved for assistance:

Public Assistance:

Bering Strait Regional Educational Attendance Area
Northwest Arctic

***Please note: only properties located within the Bering Strait Regional Educational Attendance Area are eligible for assistance, as well as properties located in the Northwest Arctic borough.***

Alaska Severe Storm and Flooding (DR-4859-AK)

List of Affected Zip Codes

Additional Resources

FEMA’s web site

FEMA’s Disaster Declaration Process

Safeguard Properties Industry Alerts

HUD Moratorium on Foreclosure

VA’s Policy Regarding Natural Disasters

Freddie Mac Disaster Relief Policies

Fannie Mae’s Natural Disaster Relief Policies

California Wildfires: Containment and Evacuation Information

Posted on January 13, 2025May 7, 2026 by Safeguard

Disaster Alert
January 13, 2025

Source: Cal Fire

Below is the latest information regarding containment and evacuations areas for the Palisades Fire, the Eaton Fire, and the Hurst Fire.

As of this afternoon, Cal Fire reports 40,588 acres burned, 19 fatalities and 12,300+ structures destroyed.

Palisades Fire:

23,713 Acres

14% Containment

Areas in red remain under evacuation order; areas in light yellow are under evacuation warning.

Eaton Fire:

14,117 Acres

33% Containment

Areas in red remain under evacuation order; areas in light yellow are under evacuation warning.

Hurst Fire:

799 Acres

95% Containment

Evacuation orders have been lifted for the area.

Click here for a list of zip codes associated with affected areas, designated by fire.

We will continue to update as additional information is acquired.

To order an inspection, please log-in to your SafeView Access account.

To read the full articles, please click the source links above.

FEMA Major Disaster Declaration – Native Village of Kwigillingok Severe Storm and Flooding

Posted on January 13, 2025January 17, 2025 by Safeguard

FEMA Alert
January 10, 2025

FEMA has issued a Major Disaster Declaration for the Native Village of Kwigillingok in Alaska to supplement tribal and local recovery efforts in areas affected by a severe storm and flooding from August 15-18, 2024. The following areas have been approved for assistance:

Public Assistance: