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Foreclosure Activity Still Surging

Filings up 121 percent from 2007

July 25, 2008

In the second quarter of this year, 739, 714 U.S. properties recorded foreclosure filings. That's one in every 171 U.S. households and represents a 121 percent surge over the second quarter of 2007. It's also 14 percent more than were reported in the first quarter of this year.

RealtyTrac, a marketing firm specializing in foreclosed properties, says the problem is beginning to spread.

"Although much of the fallout from foreclosures is being driven by rampant activity in a few states, such as Nevada, California, Florida, Ohio, Arizona and Michigan, most areas of the country are seeing at least some increase in foreclosure activity," said James J. Saccacio, RealtyTrac's CEO. "Forty-eight of 50 states and 95 out of the nation's 100 largest metro areas experienced year-over-year increases in foreclosure activity in the second quarter."

Saccacio said banks were more active in the second quarter, accounting 30 percent of total foreclosure activity. Saccacio viewed that as a positive sign.

"This shift in the distribution of activity indicates that there is a progression toward purging the problem loans out of the system — at which point the housing market can regain some sense of normalcy. Of course if another surge in defaults occurs, which could well happen later this year, it would refill the foreclosure pipeline and prolong the recovery."

Nevada, California, Arizona post top state foreclosure rates

One in every 43 Nevada households received a foreclosure filing during the second quarter, the highest foreclosure rate among the states and nearly four times the national average. Foreclosure filings were reported on 24,657 Nevada properties during the quarter, up 26 percent from the previous quarter and up 147 percent from the first quarter of 2007.

Foreclosure filings were reported on 202,599 California properties during the second quarter, the highest total among the states and a rate of one in every 65 households -- the nation's second highest state foreclosure rate. Foreclosure activity in California increased 19 percent from the previous quarter and was nearly three times the level reported in the second quarter of 2007.

With one in every 70 households receiving a foreclosure filing, Arizona posted the nation's third highest state foreclosure rate in the second quarter. Foreclosure filings were reported on 37,230 Arizona properties during the quarter, up nearly 36 percent from the previous quarter and close to four times the number reported in the second quarter of 2007.

Florida documented the nation's fourth highest state foreclosure rate in the second quarter, with one in every 78 households receiving a foreclosure filing during the quarter -- more than twice the national average. Foreclosure filings were reported on 109,433 Florida properties during the quarter, the second highest total of any state and an increase of nearly 25 percent from the previous quarter.

Despite a nearly 15 percent quarterly decrease in foreclosure activity in the second quarter, Colorado posted the nation's fifth highest state foreclosure rate -- one in every 129 Colorado households received a foreclosure filing during the quarter. Second quarter foreclosure activity in Colorado was still up more than 50 percent from the second quarter of 2007.

Foreclosure filings were reported on 37,689 Ohio properties in the second quarter, the third highest total among the states and a rate of one in every 134 households -- the nation's sixth highest state foreclosure rate. Second quarter foreclosure activity in Ohio was up nearly 21 percent from the previous quarter and nearly 27 percent from the second quarter of 2007.

With foreclosure filings reported on 32,868 properties during the second quarter, Michigan notched the fifth highest total among the states. One in every 137 Michigan households received a foreclosure filing during the quarter, the nation's seventh highest state foreclosure rate.

Other states with foreclosure rates among the top 10 were Georgia, Massachusetts, and Illinois.

California and Florida metro areas accounted for 16 of the top 20 metro foreclosure rates, with the California cities of Stockton and Riverside-San Bernardino taking the No. 1 and No. 2 spots.

Other California metro areas in the top 20 were Bakersfield at No. 4, Sacramento at No. 5, Oakland at No. 8, Fresno at No. 9, San Diego at No. 11, Orange at No. 15, Ventura at No. 16 and Los Angeles at No. 19.

Las Vegas documented the third highest metro foreclosure rate, with one in every 35 households receiving a foreclosure filing during the quarter. Foreclosure filings were reported on 21,742 Las Vegas metro properties during the quarter, up more than 25 percent from the previous quarter and up nearly 144 percent from the second quarter of 2007.

The highest ranked Florida metro area was Fort Lauderdale, which ranked No. 6 with one in every 51 households receiving a foreclosure filing during the quarter. Other Florida metro areas in the top 20 were Miami at No. 10, Orlando at No. 13, Sarasota-Bradenton-Venice at No. 14, Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater at No. 17 and Palm Beach at No. 18.

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