Foreclosure Activity Increases 5% in October, RealtyTrac Reports

States’ Legislation Slows Rate of Increase, But Foreclosure Activity Up 25 Percent From October 2007

IRVINE, CA – Nov. 13, 2008 – RealtyTrac®, the leading online marketplace for foreclosure properties, today released its October 2008 U.S. Foreclosure Market Report™.

The report shows foreclosure filings — default notices, auction sale notices and bank repossessions — were reported on 279,561 U.S. properties during the month, a 5 percent increase from the previous month and a 25 percent increase from October 2007.

The report also shows one in every 452 U.S. housing units received a foreclosure filing in October.

“We’ve seen sharp declines in new foreclosure filings after legislation mandating delays to the foreclosure process was signed into law in several states — most notably in California, where overall foreclosure activity was down by double-digit percentage points for the second straight month in October, and where default filings were 44 percent below October 2007 levels,” said James J. Saccacio, (top right photo) chief executive officer of RealtyTrac.

“Despite this, October marks the 34th consecutive month where U.S. foreclosure activity has increased compared to the prior year.

“While the intention behind this legislation — to prevent more foreclosures — is admirable, without a more integrated approach that includes significant loan modifications, the net effect may be merely delaying inevitable foreclosures.

"And in the meantime, the apparent slowing of foreclosure activity understates the severity of the foreclosure problem in these states.”

(Biscayne Bay bridge, Miami to Miami Beach, middle right photo)


Nevada, Arizona, Florida post top state foreclosure rates

Nevada posted the nation’s highest state foreclosure rate for the 22nd consecutive month in October, with one in every 74 housing units receiving a foreclosure filing during the month — more than six times the national average.

Foreclosure filings were reported on 14,483 Nevada properties in October, an increase of 11 percent from the previous month and up nearly 119 percent from October 2007.

(Atlanta skyline, middle left photo)

With one in every 149 housing units receiving a foreclosure filing in October, Arizona registered the second highest state foreclosure rate.

Foreclosure filings were reported on 17,507 Arizona properties for the month, an increase of nearly 35 percent from the previous month and up 176 percent from October 2007.

One in every 157 Florida housing units received a foreclosure filing in October, the nation’s third highest state foreclosure rate. A total of 54,324 Florida properties received a foreclosure filing during the month, an increase of 13 percent from the previous month and up nearly 80 percent from October 2007.

Other states with foreclosure rates ranking among the top 10 were California, Colorado, Georgia, Michigan, New Jersey, Illinois and Ohio.

California posts top foreclosure total despite continued drop in foreclosure activity
California foreclosure activity in October decreased 18 percent from the previous month, but the state still posted the highest number of properties with foreclosure filings for the month — 56,954.

That total was down from a peak of more than 100,000 in August, but was still up 13 percent from October 2007.

(Downtown Chicago retail district, middle left photo)

Florida, Arizona and Nevada posted the second, third and fourth highest number of properties with foreclosure filings respectively in October.

With 12,681 properties receiving a foreclosure filing in October, Illinois registered the nation’s fifth highest state total. The state’s foreclosure activity increased 24 percent from the previous month and was up 31 percent from October 2007.

Other states where total properties with foreclosure filings landed among the 10 highest were Ohio, Michigan, Georgia, Texas and New Jersey.

Las Vegas, Florida cities top list of highest metro foreclosure rates

Las Vegas documented the highest metropolitan foreclosure rate among the 230 metro areas tracked in the report, with one in every 62 housing units receiving a foreclosure filing in October — more than seven times the national average.

Foreclosure filings were reported on 12,155 Las Vegas area properties during the month, an increase of nearly 6 percent from the previous month and up nearly 104 percent from October of 2007.

Four Florida metro areas posted foreclosure rates that ranked among the top 10 in October, led by Cape Coral-Fort Myers and Miami in the Nos. 2 and 3 spots respectively. Other Florida cities in the top 10 were Fort Lauderdale at No. 8 and Orlando at No. 10.

California metro areas also accounted for four of the top 10 metro foreclosure rates in October, but that was down from previous months, when at least six California metro areas consistently ranked among the top 10.

Stockton (city skyline, bottom left photo) was the highest ranked California metro area at No. 4, with one in every 100 housing units receiving a foreclosure filing in October.

Other California cities in the top 10 were Merced at No. 5, Riverside-San Bernardino at No. 7 and Modesto at No. 9. All four California metro areas experienced monthly decreases in foreclosure activity.

RealtyTrac publishes the largest and most comprehensive national database of foreclosure and bank-owned properties, with over 1.5 million properties from over 2,200 counties across the country, and is the foreclosure data provider to MSN Real Estate, Yahoo! Real Estate and The Wall Street Journal’s Real Estate Journal.

Media Contact: Michelle Sabolich Atomic Public Relations 415-402-0230 michelle.sabolich@atomicpr.com