How a Banking Crisis Affects Your Mortgage (2024)

Yaёl Bizouati-Kennedy

·3 min read

The collapse of Silicon Valley Bank in March — the second-largest bank collapse since Washington Mutual failed in 2008 — and that of Signature Bank days later are continuing to have ripple effects.

Related: 15 Biggest Bank Failures in US History
Learn: How To Guard Your Wealth From a Potential Banking Crisis With Gold

In addition to the turmoil in the markets that the regional bank sector has created, consumers also have been left jittery about potential impacts on their personal finances — one of them being their mortgages.

First of all, when a bank fails, the FDIC acts as the “receiver” of the bank, which means it assumes the task of selling/collecting the assets of the failed bank and settling its debts, including claims for deposits in excess of the insured limit.

See what else happens.

What Happens to Your Mortgage?

When a bank fails, the FDIC sells the loan at closing or retains it temporarily.

“A mortgage’s vulnerability to the consequences of a banking crisis depends on whether the bank holding the loan is impacted,” said Bailey Moran, a real estate agent and COO of Austin TX Realty. “The mortgage will be transferred to another bank if the first bank experiences problems and fails, and you will need to start making payments to the new lender. You might need to refinance your mortgage with the new bank, depending on the details of the transfer.”

Take Our Poll: Are You Concerned About the Safety of Your Money in Your Bank Accounts?

Contrary to some beliefs, when a bank fails, mortgages don’t magically disappear and your obligation to pay will not change. A few days after the closure, you will be notified by the FDIC and by the purchaser as to where to send future payments.

“You are still required to pay your mortgage under the same terms as before if the bank that holds your mortgage collapses,” said Andrew Latham, CFP and managing editor at Supermoney.com. “In most cases, your mortgage will likely be sold or transferred to another financial institution, and your obligation to make timely payments continues.”

Communication Is Key

Latham notes that communication is important in these instances. Borrowers need to make sure they don’t miss any payments and that nothing gets “lost in the transfer” by maintaining open communication with the new mortgage holder and staying informed about any updates or changes.

“Lack of communication can lead to misunderstandings about payment due dates, payment methods or changes in account details,” Latham said. “This could result in late or missed payments, which may negatively affect your credit score and, in extreme cases, could trigger a foreclosure.”

What Happens to the Terms of the Mortgage?

When a bank collapses and your mortgage is transferred to another bank, the terms of your mortgage, such as interest rates and the repayment schedule, remain unchanged. But you should immediately reach out to the new bank to confirm the details of your mortgage, such as the account number and the address for sending payments.

“By establishing open communication with the other bank,” Latham said, “you can avoid missing any payments and ensure that you’re informed about any changes or updates.”

The bottom line is that it’s important to remember that if a bank fails you should continue to make payments.

For example, on the FDIC’s information page about the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank, it notes in the loan section that you should continue to make payments, “including escrow payments, as usual; the terms of your loan will not change.”

More From GOBankingRates

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: How a Banking Crisis Affects Your Mortgage

How a Banking Crisis Affects Your Mortgage (2024)

FAQs

How does bank failure affect mortgages? ›

Do you still pay your mortgage lender if it goes bankrupt? Yes, even if your lender goes bankrupt, you still have to pay your mortgage. As part of the bankruptcy proceedings, your loan will likely be sold off to another company, and they'll expect you to continue payments.

What happens to my mortgage if my bank defaults? ›

Contrary to some beliefs, when a bank fails, mortgages don't magically disappear and your obligation to pay will not change. A few days after the closure, you will be notified by the FDIC and by the purchaser as to where to send future payments.

What are the effects of a banking crisis? ›

These include credit risk (loans and others assets turn bad and ceasing to perform), liquidity risk (withdrawals exceed the available funds), and interest rate risk (rising interest rates reduce the value of bonds held by the bank, and force the bank to pay relatively more on its deposits than it receives on its loans) ...

What happens to my mortgage if the economy collapses? ›

What Happens To Your Mortgage Rates & Payments? If you have a fixed-rate mortgage, then your monthly payments will remain the same, which can be beneficial in a high-inflation environment. However, if you have an adjustable-rate mortgage, expect your payments to increase.

What are the effects of mortgage crisis? ›

Subprime mortgage crisis effects

About $3.4 billion in real estate wealth was wiped out. Many companies went bankrupt, and about 7.5 million Americans lost jobs. The unemployment rate doubled, from 5% at the start of the crisis to 10% in 2010.

How does a bank failure affect me? ›

When a bank's assets decrease, it has less money to lend to borrowers. In many cases, depositors who have money in the failed bank will experience no change in their experience of using the bank. They'll still have access to their money and should be able to use their debit cards and checks like normal.

What happens if a bank collapses and you have a loan? ›

So, no, your loans aren't forgiven if your lender goes bankrupt. You're still responsible for making payments, the only difference is that you'll be sending payments to another institution instead of the one that originally gave you the loan.

Do you lose your money if a bank defaults? ›

If your bank fails, up to $250,000 of deposited money (per person, per account ownership type) is protected by the FDIC. When banks fail, the most common outcome is that another bank takes over the assets and your accounts are simply transferred over. If not, the FDIC will pay you out.

When an owner defaults on their mortgage What will the bank do? ›

Once you default on your mortgage loan, the lender can demand that you repay the entire outstanding balance, which is called "accelerating the debt." The lender can foreclose if you don't repay the total loan amount or cure the default.

What is one result of a banking crisis? ›

In a financial crisis, asset prices see a steep decline in value, businesses and consumers are unable to pay their debts, and financial institutions experience liquidity shortages.

What to do with your money in a banking crisis? ›

Despite recent strains in the banking sector, a bank account remains the simplest place to store cash. Balances up to $250,000 are protected by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., or FDIC, at any U.S. bank. Markets P.M.

What are the indicators of a banking crisis? ›

Equity prices and output gap are the best leading indicators in advanced markets; in emerging markets, these are equity and property prices and credit gap. Moreover, aggregating this information flags financial crisis many years before the crisis.

What happens to my mortgage if my bank goes under? ›

If your mortgage lender goes bankrupt, you still need to pay your mortgage obligations. When a mortgage lender goes under, all of its existing mortgages will usually be sold to other lenders. In most cases, the terms of your mortgage agreement will not change.

What happens to mortgages if the market crashes? ›

Summary. In summary though, stock market crashes tend to be good for the mortgage industry overall, as they result in lower rates and an immediate upswing in refis.

What would a recession do to my mortgage? ›

For people looking to buy a home, a recession can bring some advantages. When the economy is not doing well, home prices often drop, which can be good news for those who want to find a good deal; plus, during recessions, mortgage rates usually stay low, meaning buyers can get a home with lower monthly payments.

What happens to loans if a bank fails? ›

Either the FDIC sold your loan at closing or the FDIC has retained it temporarily. In either case, your obligation to pay has not changed. Within a few days after the closure, you will be notified by the FDIC, and by the purchaser, as to where to send future payments.

How does bank collapse affect housing market? ›

Oscar Wei, deputy chief economist at the California Association of Realtors, told Newsweek that the same bank failures that have spread fears of contagion to the wider banking sector last week "could actually help the housing market slightly because of interest rates being a little lower" in the upcoming months.

Will bank failures affect interest rates? ›

The Federal Reserve raised interest rates again against the backdrop of troubles in the banking industry. The hikes are being blamed by some for weakening banks, but Fed policymakers stuck to their stance that higher rates are essential to bringing inflation under control.

Do mortgage rates go up in a recession? ›

Interest rates usually fall in a recession as loan demand declines, investors seek safety, and consumers reduce spending. A central bank can lower short-term interest rates and buy assets during a downturn to stimulate spending.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Jeremiah Abshire

Last Updated:

Views: 5884

Rating: 4.3 / 5 (54 voted)

Reviews: 93% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Jeremiah Abshire

Birthday: 1993-09-14

Address: Apt. 425 92748 Jannie Centers, Port Nikitaville, VT 82110

Phone: +8096210939894

Job: Lead Healthcare Manager

Hobby: Watching movies, Watching movies, Knapping, LARPing, Coffee roasting, Lacemaking, Gaming

Introduction: My name is Jeremiah Abshire, I am a outstanding, kind, clever, hilarious, curious, hilarious, outstanding person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.