Riverside County had second-highest foreclosure rate in state last month

RIVERSIDE - Riverside County had the second-highest foreclosure rate in the state last month, a real estate tracking firm reported today.

A total 4,409 mortgage default notices, auction sale notices and bank repossessions were recorded countywide in July, translating to 1 in 182 households in some stage of foreclosure, according to Irvine-based RealtyTrac.

The number of filings was 8.5 percent less than the total recorded in June and 19 percent below the year-ago level, data showed.

San Joaquin County had the highest foreclosure rate in the state last month, with 1 in 153 households in default; Solano County was just behind Riverside with 1 in 185 households in foreclosure, followed by San Bernardino County at 1 in 194, and Stanislaus County with 1 in 195.

Nationally, 191,925 properties slipped into foreclosure in July, a 3 percent drop compared to the prior month and 10 percent less than the same period a year ago, according to figures.

California was No. 1 in the nation in foreclosure volume last month, with 42,081 filings. The figure was 11 percent below the tally in June and 25 percent lower than in July 2011, according to RealtyTrac. One in 325 households were in default statewide.

Arizona was No. 2 in foreclosure activity nationwide, with 1 in 341 households delinquent on their loans; Florida was No. 3 with 1 in 352; Georgia was No. 4 with 1 in 376; and Illinois was No. 5 with 1 in 385.