FHA mortgage delinquency rates trended lower in the fourth quarter of 2012 as did the foreclosure rate – signs that the housing market recovery may be on track finally. An Inside FHA Lending analysis of top FHA servicers’ portfolios showed a modest drop in the overall past-due rate in the fourth quarter to 16.87 percent from 17.45 percent in the previous quarter. This includes loans that are 30-60 days delinquent as well as 90-day + delinquent. As of Dec. 31, FHA servicers held a total of 7.65 million loans in their portfolios, of which 2.87 percent were in some stage of foreclosure, down from 3.07 percent in the third quarter. Of that total number of FHA loans, 7.39 percent were ... [chart]