It is no secret that many homeowners in San Diego have struggled with their mortgage payments during the present recession. High unemployment rates coupled with a tough job market have caused many homeowners to fall behind on their mortgage payments. According to a recent report from the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA), the number of homeowners who are falling behind on their mortgages is increasing.

The MBA report found that the mortgage delinquency rate rose to 8.44 percent last quarter, which represents a 0.12 percent increase from the previous quarter. In the context of mortgages, delinquency is defined as a loan that is at least one payment past due. However, this statistic does not include home loans that are going through the foreclosure process.

Although foreclosure and delinquency rates declined throughout 2010, the MBA report indicates that the trend may be reversing itself.

Presently, 4.43 percent of home loans are in foreclosure. When both statistics are combined, that means that 12.54 percent of home loans are either delinquent or going through the foreclosure process. That figure represents more than one in 10 homes.

When falling behind on your mortgage payments, the unfortunate reality is that ignoring the problem will not make the problem go away. In fact, simply ignoring problems with a mortgage can make those problems worse.

Thankfully, people who are facing delinquency or foreclosure have legal options available to them. For example, a homeowner can seek a loan modification from a lender. Alternatively, if the foreclosure process is already underway, then filing for Chapter 13 bankruptcy protection is one option that can stop foreclosure.

Source: CNBC.com, "Number of Delinquent Mortgages on the Rise Again," Aug. 22, 2011