The Sibley Group at Keller Williams Realty 455-0100

Your Home For New Orleans Real Estate

  • Home
  • Sellers
    • Make a Good First Impression
    • What’s My Home Worth?
    • Determining The Value of Your Home
    • Foreclosure & Short Sales
      • What is a “Short Sale”?
      • Short Sale Process
    • Real Estate Glossary
  • Buyers
    • Find Homes For Sale
    • Get Pre-Approved
    • Making an Offer
    • Mortgage Resource Center
      • FHA Loans
      • RD Financing – Rural Development Loans
      • VA Loans
      • Construction & Renovation Loans
    • Real Estate Glossary
  • Communities
    • Northshore
      • Slidell
      • Mandeville
      • Covington
    • Southshore
      • Uptown
      • Garden District
      • Carrollton / University
      • Broadmoor
      • Lakeview
      • Mid City
      • Warehouse District and CBD
      • French Quarter
      • Marigny and Bywater
      • Metairie
  • Resources
    • Local Area Schools
    • Moving Center
    • Preferred Vendors
    • Hurricane Preparedness
    • Blog
  • Listings
    • View Our Listings
    • Search All Listings
  • About Us
    • The Sibley Group
      • Our Team
      • Reviews & Testimonials
    • Keller Williams Realty
    • Careers
    • Choosing a REALTOR
    • Client Services
  • Contact Us
  • Property SearchSearch Homes By Map
  • Listings By EmailListings Updates Sent To Your Inbox
  • Home ValuationWhat Is Your Home Worth?
  • My AccountLogin To Save Listings And Searches
You are here: Home / Agent Value / Mortgage Forbearance: A Helpful Option for Homeowners Facing Challenges

Mortgage Forbearance: A Helpful Option for Homeowners Facing Challenges

January 8, 2025 by John Sibley

Mortgage Forbearance: A Helpful Option for Homeowners Facing Challenges Simplifying The Market

Let’s face it – life can throw some curveballs. Whether it’s a job loss, unexpected bills, or a natural disaster, financial struggles can happen to anyone. But here’s the good news. If you’re a homeowner feeling the squeeze, there’s a lifeline that many people don’t realize is still available: mortgage forbearance.

What Is Mortgage Forbearance?

As Bankrate explains:

“Mortgage forbearance is an option that allows borrowers to pause or lower their mortgage payments while dealing with a short-term crisis, such as a job loss, illness or other financial setback . . . When you can’t afford to pay your mortgage, forbearance gives you a chance to sort out your finances and get back on track.”

A common misconception is that forbearance was only accessible during the COVID-19 pandemic. While it did play a significant role in helping homeowners through that crisis, what many people don’t know is that forbearance is still a tool to support borrowers in times of need. Today, it remains a vital option to help homeowners in certain circumstances avoid delinquency and, ultimately, foreclosure.

The Current State of Mortgage Forbearance

Forbearance continues to serve as a valuable safety net for homeowners facing temporary financial challenges. While the overall rate of forbearance has seen a slight increase recently, it’s important to understand what’s driving this change and how it fits into the broader picture.

According to Marina Walsh, VP of Industry Analysis at the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA):

“The overall mortgage forbearance rate increased three basis points in November and has now risen for six consecutive months.”

This may seem concerning at first glance, but let’s break it down. The graph below, going all the way back to 2020, puts things into perspective:

a graph of a graph of mortgagesWhile the share of mortgages in forbearance has significantly declined since its peak in mid-2020, there has been a slight but notable increase in recent months. This uptick is largely tied to the effects of two recent hurricanes — Helene and Milton.

Natural disasters like these often create temporary financial hardships for homeowners, making forbearance a crucial safety net during recovery. In fact, 46% of borrowers in forbearance today cite natural disasters as the reason for their financial struggles.

Even with the most recent uptick, the share of mortgages in forbearance is nowhere near pandemic levels, and, thankfully, reflects a very small portion of homeowners overall.

Why Forbearance Matters

Forbearance can help borrowers avoid the spiral of missed payments and foreclosure. It provides breathing room to address challenges and plan next steps. And while most homeowners today are not in a position to need forbearance, thanks to strong equity and foundations of the current housing market, it is an option for the few who do need it.

If you or a homeowner you know is facing financial difficulties, the first step is to contact your mortgage lender. They can walk you through the forbearance process and help you understand your options. Keep in mind that forbearance is not automatic — you need to apply and discuss the terms with your lender.

Bottom Line

In tough times, knowing your options can bring peace of mind. Forbearance isn’t just a financial tool — it’s a lifeline. And while the recent increase in forbearance rates might make headlines that give you pause, the truth is this option is working exactly as it should: helping those who need it most get through difficult moments without losing their homes.

Receive A Free Guide To Buying or Selling Your Home

The process of buying or selling a home can be overwhelming at times. It’s difficult to know when is the best time to buy, or how to get the most money for your house when selling. You don't need to go through the process alone.

Our free eGuides will answer many of your questions and likely bring up a few things you didn’t even know you should consider when buying or selling a home.
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Filed Under: Agent Value, Blog, For Sellers, Foreclosures, Selling Tips

Homes By Price Range

Homes Under $200,000

Homes $200,000 – $300,000

Homes $300,000 – $400,000

Homes $400,000 – $500,000

Homes $500,000 – $600,000

Homes $600,000 – $750,000

Homes $750,000 – $1,000,000

Homes Over $1,000,000

Homes by School District

  • Your Contact Information

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING

Listened, were easy to reach, and delivered on what they promised.

Default Avatar75
Ashley, New Orleans, LA
 

I worked with Gana, OMG what a GEM !!! Gana made this entire experience pleasurable. Her knowledge, patience and go-getter attitude won me over 100%.

Avatar
Monique C Thomas
 

I worked with Gana to purchase my first home in March 2018. Gana definitely helped me out during this process. She stayed in contact with me and was very good with her timeliness on updates. She was there throughout the whole process and was very knowledgeable when i had any questions. Gana made sure I understood any documents that I had to sign before I completed the action. I would definitely recommend her!

Default Avatar75
Lamar, Slidell, LA
 

There are not enough words that can describe Lana. She absolutely made our experience of finding a home as easy and stress free it could be. Her communication skills are top notch. She answered all of our questions, which were many, in a very timely manner. She went out of her way to set up appointments and send us links for everything that we needed to get done. She did everything in a spirit of excellence. There is no other person I would want or recommend as an agent than, Lana Leonard(...)

Default Avatar75
Shawn & Suzanne, Lacombe, LA
 

I bought my first home!!! Jordan provided exceptional service. At first, I was looking to rent, but she showed me I could get more of what I needed for less if I considered purchasing a home. It is an investment in my future and I am so glad she helped me feel confident in my ability to buy a home. The Sibley Group is a wonderful team that is there for your needs and supports you every step of the way. I highly recommend them, especially Jordan. She was attentive, resourceful, knowledgea(...)

Default Avatar75
Melissa, Covington, LA
 

Mrs. Gana is quite the gem, in fact, the entire Sibley Group were all so helpful and made our first home buying experience a breeze.

We were totally lost when it came to finding a mortgage company and having a realtor with such expertise and experience really put us at ease. She set up connections with several lenders and from there we were put on a path to home ownership!

I would recommend Mrs.Gana a million times again and the Sibley(...)

Default Avatar75
Michelle, Slidell, LA
 

The decision to sell our home and to use the Sibley Realty Group was a year long process. We were concerned about determining the right time to sell and determining a fair and appropriate asking price. We had questions about how to adequately prepare our home for photos and showings. We were concerned about security and showing our home while we were away on vacation. John Sibley addressed all of our questions and concerns. He walked us through the process from listing to closing. He was a(...)

Default Avatar75
Annemarie & Jerry, Slidell, LA
 

We were having troubles trying to figure out the particulars of buying a house and were a little intimidated about approaching a Real Estate agent. Those fears were put to rest after meeting Gana.

She not only guided us through the entire process, but made it a point to go over the contract with verbiage that we understood as first time home buyers- that was important.

The entire experience was smooth, as she laid to rest any fears we(...)

Default Avatar75
Willliam, Slidell, LA
 

Everyone at the Sibley Realty Group was exceptional. From the first phone call to the closing of the home we had the best service. I would recommend Jordan and her team to anyone. Awesome Job Guys! And thanks again.

Default Avatar75
Anonymous, New Orleans, LA
 

Gana made this transaction easy to understand for us as first time home buyers. Gana was very in tune with us when she could tell I didn't understand something. She slowed everything down and made sure I understood before we moved on.

Default Avatar75
Anonymous, Slidell, LA
 

From Our Blog

Housing Market Forecasts for the Second Half of the Year

From rising home prices to mortgage rate swings, the housing market has left a lot of people … [Read More...]

Why Some Homes Sell Faster Than Others

As you think ahead to your own move, you may have noticed some houses sell within days, while others … [Read More...]

About Us

The Sibley Group has a team of Realtors to meet all of your real estate needs throughout the New Orleans Metropolitan area. We have agents that specialize on the Northshore and Southshore, including New Orleans, Slidell, Metairie, Covington, Mandeville, Pearl River, and Lacombe.


Trust a real estate team with a long-standing tradition of service, expertise, and professionalism in the local area.


John Sibley reviews
The Sibley Group
Keller Williams Realty 455-0100

3197 Richland Ave, Metairie, LA 70002

Northshore: 985.326.9755
Southshore: 504.571.9755
Broker: 504.455.0100

From Our Blog

Housing Market Forecasts for the Second Half of the Year

From rising home prices to mortgage rate swings, the housing market has left a lot of people … [Read More]

Why Some Homes Sell Faster Than Others

As you think ahead to your own move, you may have noticed some houses sell within days, while others … [Read More]

Search Links

  • Search Listings
  • Search by Map
  • Login






Keller Williams Realty Professionals

The name of the company is Keller Williams Realty 455-0100.
Each Office is Independently Owned & Operated.

Broker & Associates are licensed by the State of Louisiana.
Copyright © 2019 All Rights Reserved