Watch CBS News

For Fifth Month, Florida Leads Nation In Foreclosures

FLORIDA (CBSMiami) – Florida's foreclosure crisis refuses to ease up, according to new data.

Monthly figures released Wednesday indicate Florida led the nation in January – the fifth month in a row – in the percentage and total number of properties in foreclosure, the News Service of Florida reports.

Florida had the highest rate of foreclosures in the nation for the month, with one in every 300 Florida housing units under some type of foreclosure filing. That's more than twice the national average and 20 percent higher than a year earlier.

Florida also had the dubious honor of bypassing California for the total number of foreclosure filings for the month, marking the first time that California has been out of the top spot since 2007.

Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties accounted for the bulk of homes under foreclosure.

Nationally, the number of foreclosures dropped 28 percent in January from the year before.

(TM and © Copyright 2013 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2013 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The News Service of Florida contributed to this report.)

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.