NEW YORK: US foreclosures were at a record high in 2010, and more than one million people lost their homes, even as notices started leveling off during the end year. In total, there were nearly 2.9 million foreclosure notices filed during the year, according to report released Thursday by RealtyTrac. That was a record high, but just 1.7 percent above 2009. It most certainly would have been higher had notices not plunged in November and December as banks halted tens of thousands of foreclosures in the face of the robo-signing scandal. “Total properties receiving foreclosure filings would have easily exceeded 3 million in 2010 had it not been for the fourth quarter drop in foreclosure activity,” said James Saccacio, RealtyTrac's CEO. “Many of the foreclosure proceedings that were stopped in late 2010 - which we estimate may be as high as a quarter million - will likely be re-started and add to (foreclosure) numbers in early 2011.” For the fourth consecutive year, Nevada led in the rate of foreclosures with one of every 11 households there receiving at least one filing in 2010. In Arizona, one of every 17 households received a filing in 2010, down 4.5 percent for the year.
