Nearly 1.1 million Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac mortgages refinanced through the Home Affordable Refinance Program last year, beating overall estimates for 2012.
Since the program’s launch in 2009, 2.2 million loans have successfully refinanced through the government’s program, the Federal Housing Finance Agency concluded in its December HARP report.
Of all the HARP refinances completed in the past three years, 1.89 million involved primary residences, another 69,522 benefited second homes and another 199,672 tied back to investment properties, according to FHFA.
In just the fourth quarter of 2012, 297,461 refinances passed through HARP.
Of those passing through in December, 25% had loan-to-value ratios above 125%.
In addition, about 18% of underwater HARP participants who went through HARP in December chose to move into shorter, 15- and 20-year mortgages, allowing them to build equity in their homes at a faster pace.
The states with the most HARP activity since the program’s inception in 2009 included California, Florida, Illinois, Michigan and Arizona.
California led with 301,327 refinancings, followed by Florida (175,686), Illinois (147,252), Michigan (144,709) and Arizona (106,387).
kpanchuk@housingwire.com
