Foreclosures Increasing Nationwide

I found a news article on The Creative Investor from RealtyTrac which states nationally, foreclosures were up almost 19% in October over the previous month. At that rate, 1 in every 1,422 households in the nation has entered foreclosure. The states with the largest number of foreclosures were New Jersey, Texas, and New Mexico. Here in Arizona, the foreclosure rate actually dropped by 6.9%.

What surprises me is the Arizona statistic. Actually, in looking at the data state by state, 25 states had a decrease in the number of foreclosures. So half the states in the country experienced a decrease in foreclosures, but the increased numbers in the other states more than made up for them. I would have expected increases in more states. As interest rates rise, it seems inevitable that those with variable rate mortgages will fall behind. However, there is some lag between the interest rate increase and mortgages going into default, since the mortgage company will usually give the home owner a couple of months of being late before starting foreclosure proceedings. Expect more increases in the future and prepare yourself for the opportunities they present!