The time frame for borrowers who were significantly hit after the financial crisis to improve their credit score is about to happen, opening the door for a lot of consumers to reenter the housing market.
According to Experian's latest analysis, foreclosures, short sales and bankruptcies remain on a credit report for seven years, which means these items are due to fall off the credit files of 2.5 million consumers between June 2016 and June 2017.
And even better for the housing market, the analysis shows that 68% of these consumers are scoring in the near-prime or higher credit segments, meaning the opportunity for this group to qualify for mortgage loans is growing.
The new Experian study looks at these potential borrowers and analyzes the consumers who foreclosed or short-sold between 2007 and 2010 and have since opened a new mortgage.
The study refers to these consumers as "boomerang borrowers" and shows that they have responsible credit behaviors and improving credit scores.
"With millions of borrowers potentially coming back into the housing market, the trends that we're seeing are promising for both the mortgage seeker and the lender," said Michele Raneri, vice president of analytics and new business development at Experian.
"In the coming years, boomerang borrowers will be a critical segment of the real-estate market,” said Raneri. “While many of these borrowers have gone through a very difficult time, it is encouraging to see them taking control of their finances with better credit scores and all-around better credit management."
The study also found that the people in the short-sale category are rebounding at a higher rate than those who foreclosed, and are making their payments on time.
