First-quarter foreclosure filings up sharply, state up 46%

WASHINGTON — The number of American households threatened with losing their homes grew 24 percent year-over-year in the first quarter and is poised to rise further as major lenders restart foreclosures after a temporary break, according to data being released today.

The big unknown, however, is President Obama's plan to help up to 9 million borrowers avoid foreclosure through refinanced mortgages or modified loans.

The Obama administration expects its plans to make a big dent in the foreclosure crisis. But it remains to be seen whether lenders will fully embrace it, despite $75 billion in incentive payments.

The faltering economy is causing the housing crisis to spread. Nationwide, nearly 804,000 homes received at least one foreclosure-related notice from January through March, up from about 650,000 in the same time period a year earlier, according to RealtyTrac, a foreclosure-listing firm.

In Washington state, the year-over-year increase was nearly twice as great — 46 percent — and in King County it was a whopping 103 percent.

But overall, the state and local foreclosure rates still were well below the national average.

One in every 280 King County homes received a foreclosure filing during the first quarter, according to RealtyTrac. The national figure: 1 in 159.

Pierce County had the highest foreclosure rate in the Puget Sound area: 1 in 138 homes.

Foreclosure is a months-long process, and these numbers don't truly indicate how many owners are losing their homes. Many people behind in payments eventually bring them up to date or sell their property before the foreclosure process is completed.

Nationally, nearly 191,000 properties completed the foreclosure process and were repossessed by banks in the quarter. While the number was down 13 percent from the fourth quarter of last year, it is expected to rise through the summer then possibly taper off.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the big mortgage-finance companies, together with many banks had temporarily halted foreclosures in advance of Obama's plan.

Now armed with the details about which borrowers can qualify, the mortgage industry has begun foreclosing on ineligible borrowers.

The Treasury Department has signed contracts with six big loan-servicing companies — including Citigroup, Wells Fargo and JPMorgan Chase. Many have already started processing loans as part of the government's "Making Home Affordable" plan.

"We need to get the long-term solutions for these folks," said Shaun Donovan, Obama's housing secretary.

Donovan said there are still likely to be increased foreclosures, especially from vacant houses, second homes and those owned by speculators. None of those properties will qualify for a loan modification.

However, Donovan remained optimistic that overall foreclosures could start to decrease this summer.

But even industry executives who strongly support the plan emphasize success isn't guaranteed.

"The effectiveness of the plan overall obviously is going to depend on the level of industry participation," said Paul Koches, general counsel of Ocwen Financial, which collects loan payments on subprime loans.

Many borrowers and consumer groups claim the modifications offered by the lending industry don't do enough to help cash-strapped homeowners, despite more than a year of public prodding from regulators.

Fewer than half of loan modifications made at the end of last year actually reduced borrowers' payments by more than 10 percent, data released last month show.

Plus, the lending industry has been swamped by the unprecedented wave of calls from distressed borrowers. "You can't wave a magic wand and make the loans suddenly modified," said Rick Sharga, RealtyTrac's senior vice president for marketing. "They're all individual transactions."

In RealtyTrac's report, Nevada, Arizona, California and Florida had the top foreclosure rates. In Nevada, one in every 27 homes received a foreclosure filing, while the number was one in every 54 in Arizona. Rounding out the top 10 were Illinois, Michigan, Georgia, Idaho, Utah and Oregon.

Washington ranked 21st.

Seattle Times reporter Eric Pryne provided Washington state data.