As the economy convalesces, the number of American households behind on mortgage payments appears to reach at a high level. Also, as the banks struggle with huge volumes of calls for help along with the complexities of federal and state foreclosure-prevention programs, people who fall behind on their mortgages are staying in their homes longer.

People were advised by their lawyers two years ago, to stop making mortgage payments and just sit tight as they may have to for the next two years also. Even today after two years, foreclosure proceedings are under way and people are waiting to be evicted.

A trade group, The Mortgage Bankers Association, said that 14% of mortgage loans on one-to-four-unit homes were 30 days or more offending or in the foreclosure process, as of March 31. This signifies over 7.3 million households. A year earlier the rate was 12%.

From 3.77% a year earlier, the portion of borrowers between 30 and 60 days overdue, which are mostly representing newly delinquent homeowners, turned down to 3.45% by March 31. Economists predict that this drop is mainly due to recent job growth.