Despite the surge in homes purchases with different types of financing to get buyers into homes, Florida foreclosures are down. Property foreclosures soared 68 percent nationwide to 117,259 last month from 69,940 in February 2005, reports RealtyTrac, though the number of eclosures in Florida went down. "This is the third straight month the U.S. foreclosure rate has moved higher, and it's the second straight month new foreclosures have topped 100,000,"
according to a statement from RealtyTrac CEO James Saccacio. Georgia was hit the hardest, with 9,421 foreclosures in February -- more than twice the number a year earlier -- while Rust Belt states like Michigan and Ohio also had high foreclosure figures. However, Florida, with 10,019 foreclosures compared to 11,211 last February, combined California, Texas and New York in recording a decline in foreclosures.
