Foreclosures surged 32% in July in Pa.

Ohio was one of three states with the most foreclosure
filings in July.

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Foreclosure filings in Pennsylvania jumped more than 32 percent from June to July but were about the same as in July of last year, a research firm said Tuesday.

A total of 2,990 foreclosure filings — or one for every 1,813 households — were reported in the state in July, up from 2,258 in June, according to Irvine, Calif.-based RealtyTrac Inc. Pennsylvania ranked 24th in foreclosures nationwide.

A total of 2,975 foreclosure filings — which include default notices, auction sale notices and bank repossessions — were reported in July of last year.

Nationally, a total of 179,599 foreclosure filings were reported in July, a 93 percent rise over the 92,845 filings in the same month last year. A total of 164,644 foreclosure filings were reported in June.

Lastest measure

The figures are the latest measure of the ailing housing market, which has seen defaults and foreclosures soar as financially strapped borrowers have failed to make payments or find buyers. The national foreclosure rate in July was one filing for every 693 households, according to RealtyTrac.

Though 43 states had annual increases in foreclosure activity, just five — California, Florida, Michigan, Ohio and Georgia — accounted for more than half of the nation’s total foreclosure filings, RealtyTrac Chief Executive James J. Saccacio said.

Nevada posted the highest foreclosure rate: one filing for every 199 households, or more than three times the national average.

California, Florida and Ohio were among the states with the highest number of foreclosure filings in July, the firm said.

California cities continued to dominate top metropolitan foreclosure rates.

RealtyTrac did not say if a single property received more than one notice.

The company did not break out the exact property count.