The past-due rate and foreclosure rate moved lower last month. But an indicator of upcoming foreclosure activity — foreclosure starts — climbed to the highest level in more than a year.
There were 3,628,000 residential loans that were either at least 30 days past due or in the process of foreclosure as of the end of January.
That was 60,000 fewer distressed mortgages than as of the end of last year. Compared to Jan. 31, 2014, the number of non-current loans has retreated by 687,000.
