Foreclosure Activity Increases 5 Percent in October According to RealtyTrac(R) U.S. Foreclosure Market Report

IRVINE, Calif., Nov. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- RealtyTrac(R) (http://www.realtytrac.com), the leading online marketplace for foreclosure properties, today released its October 2008 U.S. Foreclosure Market Report(TM), which 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.

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.

"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, 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."

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.

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.

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 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.

Report methodology

The RealtyTrac U.S. Foreclosure Market Report provides a count of the total number of properties with at least one foreclosure filing reported during the month -- broken out by type of filing at the state and national level. Data is also available at the individual county level. Data is collected from more than 2,200 counties nationwide, and those counties account for more than 90 percent of the U.S. population. RealtyTrac's report incorporates documents filed in all three phases of foreclosure: Default -- Notice of Default (NOD) and Lis Pendens (LIS); Auction -- Notice of Trustee Sale and Notice of Foreclosure Sale (NTS and NFS); and Real Estate Owned, or REO properties (that have been foreclosed on and repurchased by a bank). If more than one foreclosure document is filed against a property during the month or quarter, only the most recent filing is counted in the report. The report also checks if the same type of document was filed against a property in a previous month or quarter. If so, and if that previous filing occurred within the estimated foreclosure timeframe for the state the property is in, the report does not count the property in the current month.

               U.S. Foreclosure Market Data by State - Oct 2008

    Rate                             Properties with Foreclosure Filings
    Rank  State Name               NOD          LIS         NTS          NFS

    --    U.S.                  36,036       66,033      66,319      26,305
    39    Alabama                    7            0         349           0
    28    Alaska                     2            0         156           0
    2     Arizona                  191            0      11,041           0
    19    Arkansas                 187            0       1,305           0
    4     California            16,245            0      20,078           0
    5     Colorado                  51            0       2,982           0
    11    Connecticut                0        1,981           0         611
    34    Delaware                   0            8           0          81
          District of Columbia     160            0           6           0
    3     Florida                    0       34,315           0      12,969
    6     Georgia                   63            0       5,642           0
    30    Hawaii                    68            0         289           0
    15    Idaho                    673            0         450           0
    9     Illinois                   0        7,680           0       1,363
    14    Indiana                    0        1,822           0       1,860
    40    Iowa                      11            0         369           0
    33    Kansas                     0          123           0         208
    43    Kentucky                   0          281           0         120
    41    Louisiana                  0           19           0         457
    36    Maine                    164            0         148           0
    23    Maryland                   0        2,238           0         271
    21    Massachusetts              0        1,577           0         862
    7     Michigan               5,223            0         434           0
    25    Minnesota                 14            0         946           0
    44    Mississippi                3            0         113           0
    20    Missouri                 626            0       1,650           0
    48    Montana                    1            0           7           0
    49    Nebraska                   0            6           0          17
    1     Nevada                 6,736            0       4,192           0
    24    New Hampshire              4            0         488           0
    8     New Jersey                 0        6,681           0         982
    42    New Mexico                 0           88           0          91
    37    New York                   0        1,718           0         908
    29    North Carolina         1,178            0         724           0
    45    North Dakota               0            1           0          23
    10    Ohio                       0        4,546           0       3,240
    35    Oklahoma                 293            0         137           0
    16    Oregon                 1,306            0         834           0
    32    Pennsylvania               0        2,019           0         999
    22    Rhode Island               1            0         384           0
    27    South Carolina             0          637           0         442
    47    South Dakota               0            3           0          28
    18    Tennessee                  8            0       2,296           0
    26    Texas                     41            0       5,467           0
    13    Utah                     889            0         277           0
    50    Vermont                    0            0           2           0
    12    Virginia               1,844            0       2,339           0
    17    Washington                47            0       3,082           0
    46    West Virginia              0            0          68           0
    31    Wisconsin                  0          290           0         773
    38    Wyoming                    0            0          64           0



                                   Properties with Foreclosure Filings
    Rate                                    1/every X  %Chg. from  %Chg. from
    Rank   State Name       REO      Total   HU(rate)    Sep 08      Oct 07

    --    U.S.            84,868   279,561     452        5.11       24.55
    39    Alabama            480       836   2,524       15.47        0.84
    28    Alaska             100       258   1,072       25.24        2.38
    2     Arizona          6,275    17,507     149       34.86      176.18
    19    Arkansas           403     1,895     672       16.98       26.67
    4     California      20,631    56,954     231      -18.11       13.00
    5     Colorado         2,341     5,374     390       23.68       -0.09
    11    Connecticut        520     3,112     460      136.12*      95.23*
    34    Delaware           118       207   1,849      -51.75       58.02
          District
           of Columbia        61       227   1,246        8.61      176.83*
    3     Florida          7,040    54,324     157       13.28       79.94
    6     Georgia          4,195     9,900     391        6.46      -12.79
    30    Hawaii              38       395   1,266      -33.50      201.53
    15    Idaho               50     1,173     525        9.42       95.50
    9     Illinois         3,638    12,681     410       24.27       31.08
    14    Indiana          1,722     5,404     510       -5.94        2.27
    40    Iowa               120       500   2,641       29.53      -25.71
    33    Kansas             325       656   1,841      -36.86       30.68
    43    Kentucky           127       528   3,576      -33.50      -34.98
    41    Louisiana          166       642   2,851       35.44      -10.83
    36    Maine               38       350   1,975        7.69      138.10*
    23    Maryland           464     2,973     774       32.31      -15.71
    21    Massachusetts    1,191     3,630     746       -8.84       25.00
    7     Michigan         5,736    11,393     396        7.96      -15.07
    25    Minnesota        1,700     2,660     858       24.07       61.21
    44    Mississippi         81       197   6,302      -30.39      -10.05
    20    Missouri         1,396     3,672     714       26.62        2.43
    48    Montana             32        40  10,801       -4.76      -72.60
    49    Nebraska            27        50  15,497       31.58      -85.21
    1     Nevada           3,555    14,483      74       11.22      118.84
    24    New Hampshire      199       691     854       34.17       20.38
    8     New Jersey         810     8,473     410       10.64       74.92
    42    New Mexico          85       264   3,220        9.09      -45.00
    37    New York         1,135     3,761   2,102       13.21      -42.31
    29    North Carolina   1,312     3,214   1,254       29.75      -20.15
    45    North Dakota        18        42   7,329       16.67       68.00
    10    Ohio             4,323    12,109     417        5.57      -29.91
    35    Oklahoma           387       817   1,967      -36.02      -37.20
    16    Oregon             701     2,841     558       21.20      159.45
    32    Pennsylvania       987     4,005   1,362       -4.39       26.34
    22    Rhode Island       197       582     772       -5.52       60.77
    27    South Carolina     952     2,031     973       -7.77      262.68*
    47    South Dakota         3        34  10,377      -33.33       78.95
    18    Tennessee        1,734     4,038     664       -1.46      -11.23
    26    Texas            4,392     9,900     932        7.69      -19.43
    13    Utah               646     1,812     497        3.78       72.57
    50    Vermont             11        13  23,812      116.67       44.44
    12    Virginia         2,372     6,555     493        2.47      160.33
    17    Washington       1,149     4,278     631      119.16       95.08
    46    West Virginia       21        89   9,863       36.92       85.42
    31    Wisconsin          826     1,889   1,341       22.34      -24.62
    38    Wyoming             38       102   2,345       15.91      104.00

* Actual increase may not be as high due to data collection changes or improvements

About RealtyTrac Inc.

Ranked as the third largest real estate site by MediaMetrix and No. 53 on Inc. magazine's 2006 Inc. 500 list of the nation's fastest-growing private companies, RealtyTrac Inc. (http://www.realtytrac.com), is the leading online marketplace for foreclosure properties, providing all the resources that home seekers, investors and real estate agents need to locate, evaluate and buy properties below market value.

Founded in 1996, RealtyTrac publishes the largest and most comprehensive national database of pre-foreclosure, foreclosure, For Sale By Owner, resale and new homes, with more than 1 million properties across the country, property reports, productivity tools and extensive professional resources. RealtyTrac hosts nearly 3 million unique visitors monthly and has been chosen to supply foreclosure data to MSN Real Estate, Yahoo! Real Estate and The Wall Street Journal's Real Estate Journal. For current news and information regarding foreclosure-related issues and trends, visit our blog at http://www.ForeclosurePulse.com.