New Foreclosure Numbers Show Texas Is A Haven For Homeowners

Texas continues to be a bright spot for Americans seeking a stable, affordable place to own a home. Low home foreclosure and appreciation rates point toward a housing market that's relatively affordable now and likely to stay that way for the immediate future.

Texas homeowners are struggling with their home payments and going into foreclosure at less than half the nationwide rate — good news not only for current homeowners but anyone looking to buy a house in Texas. High foreclosure rates often signal a financially unstable area, and homes where residents have been evicted for nonpayment are frequently in poor condition for their new owners.

Recent data from FindTheHome shows 0.21 percent of Texas homes in foreclosure, compared to 0.48 percent of home across the United States. Fewer Texans are behind on their mortgage payments as well, with only 0.90 percent of homes more than 90 days delinquent on mortgage payments; nationwide, that figure stands at 1.32 percent. In fact, the number of Texas homeowners in preforeclosure or foreclosure is lower today than in 2006, well before the 2008 market crash.

Texas home prices should remain affordable for some time to come. Texas home values are expected to rise 1.84% within the next year, compared to a 4.46 percent average rise nationwide. Texas buyers will have a longer window for getting into a new home at a good price, and owners won't find themselves pushed out by spiraling home values and property taxes.

Slower improvements in Texas foreclosure rates could actually be a sign of the state's relative sunny housing market stability. Texas foreclosure rates are down 19.35 percent from a year ago, compared to a 27.15 percent drop nationwide, and delinquent mortgages are also decreasing more slowly (19.02 percent in Texas over the past year versus 21.73 percent seen across the United States. With foreclosure rates lower to begin with, this becomes less of a concern for buyers looking for a stable area.

Of the five Texas counties with the highest foreclosure rates, Dallas and Kaufman are metropolitan-area counties balancing their high 90-day mortgage delinquency rates with relatively strong market health scores. Scroll through the slideshow to see the counties with the largest proportion of foreclosures in all of Texas.

El Paso County

• Percentage of Homes in Foreclosure: 0.30 percent
• 1-Year Change in Foreclosures: -2.78 percent
• % of Homes with 90-Day Delinquent Mortgages: 1.29 percent
• 1-Year Change in Mortgage Delinquencies: -5.56 percent
• Market Health Score: 76/100

Walker County

• Percentage of Homes in Foreclosure: 0.30 percent
• 1-Year Change in Foreclosures: -8.93 percent
• % of Homes with 90-Day Delinquent Mortgages: 0.60 percent
• 1-Year Change in Mortgage Delinquencies: -2.83 percent
• Market Health Score: 84/100

Coryell County

• Percentage of Homes in Foreclosure: 0.31 percent
• 1-Year Change in Foreclosures: -15.49 percent
• % of Homes with 90-Day Delinquent Mortgages: 1.04 percent
• 1-Year Change in Mortgage Delinquencies: -22.61 percent
• Market Health Score: 64/100

Hill County

• Percentage of Homes in Foreclosure: 0.32 percent
• 1-Year Change in Foreclosures: -9.43 percent
• % of Homes with 90-Day Delinquent Mortgages: 0.80 percent
• 1-Year Change in Mortgage Delinquencies: -9.77 percent
• Market Health Score: 84/100

Ellis County

• Percentage of Homes in Foreclosure: 0.32 percent
• 1-Year Change in Foreclosures: -21.62 percent
• % of Homes with 90-Day Delinquent Mortgages: 1.46 percent
• 1-Year Change in Mortgage Delinquencies: -16.19 percent
• Market Health Score: 84/100

Menard County

• Percentage of Homes in Foreclosure: 0.32 percent
• 1-Year Change in Foreclosures: 300.00 percent
• % of Homes with 90-Day Delinquent Mortgages: 0.41 percent
• 1-Year Change in Mortgage Delinquencies: 400.00 percent
• Market Health Score: 33/100

Dallas County

• Percentage of Homes in Foreclosure: 0.35 percent
• 1-Year Change in Foreclosures: -22.22 percent
• % of Homes with 90-Day Delinquent Mortgages: 1.51 percent
• 1-Year Change in Mortgage Delinquencies: -21.47 percent
• Market Health Score: 85/100

Kaufman County

• Percentage of Homes in Foreclosure: 0.35 percent
• 1-Year Change in Foreclosures: -2.00 percent
• % of Homes with 90-Day Delinquent Mortgages: 1.45 percent
• 1-Year Change in Mortgage Delinquencies: -19.74 percent
• Market Health Score: 78/100

Shackelford County

• Percentage of Homes in Foreclosure: 0.51 percent
• 1-Year Change in Foreclosures: 80.00 percent
• % of Homes with 90-Day Delinquent Mortgages: 0.80 percent
• 1-Year Change in Mortgage Delinquencies: 100.00 percent
• Market Health Score: 35/100

Dickens County

• Percentage of Homes in Foreclosure: 0.60 percent
• 1-Year Change in Foreclosures: 50.00 percent
• % of Homes with 90-Day Delinquent Mortgages: 0.70 percent
• 1-Year Change in Mortgage Delinquencies: 16.67 percnet
• Market Health Score: 35/100

See All Real Estate Markets