The Top 10 Foreclosure States (as of January)

RealtyTrac has released its U.S. Foreclosure Market Report for January:

Foreclosure filings — default notices, auction sale notices and bank repossessions — were reported on 274,399 U.S. properties during the month, a 10 percent decrease from the previous month but still up 18 percent from January 2008. The report also shows one in every 466 U.S. housing units received a foreclosure filing in January.

“The extensive foreclosure efforts on the part of lenders and government agencies appear to have impacted the January numbers — particularly the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac moratorium on all foreclosure sales that was extended through the end of January along with Florida’s voluntary 45-day freeze on all new foreclosure actions and scheduling of foreclosure sales that was announced at the beginning of December,” said James J. Saccacio, chief executive officer of RealtyTrac. “January REOs, which represent completed foreclosure sales to the foreclosing lender, were down 15 percent nationwide from the previous month. And in Florida overall foreclosure activity was down 20 percent from the previous month.”

Which states have the highest foreclosure rates?

1. Nevada: 1 in 76 homes

2. California: 1 in 173 homes

3. Arizona: 1 in 182 homes

4. Florida: 1 in 214 homes

5. Oregon: 1 in 357 homes

6. Illinois: 1 in 363 homes

7. Michigan: 1 in 397 homes

8. Georgia: 1 in 400 homes

9. Idaho: 1 in 417 homes

10. Ohio: 1 in 452 homes