The total number of new foreclosure cases filed with the Palm Beach County Clerk & Comptroller is at its lowest point in seven years, with new foreclosures down 36 percent in 2013 compared with 2012.
There were 9,857 new foreclosures filed in 2013, compared with 15,419 filed in 2012.
“The biggest contributors to our decline in foreclosure cases in 2013 were the improving economy and changes to Florida’s foreclosure laws,” Palm Beach County Clerk Sharon Bock said. “This is a positive sign for Palm Beach County, and one that I believe will continue throughout 2014.”
The number of new foreclosure cases filed in December followed the trend, with 587 new foreclosures filed in December, an 8.7 percent decrease from 643 cases filed in November, and a 49.2 percent decrease from 1,155 cases filed in December 2012.
There were 75,661 deeds recorded in 2013, an 18 percent increase from 64,097 deeds recorded in 2012, and 46,384 mortgages recorded, a 20.3 percent increase from 38,553 mortgages recorded in 2012.
There were 6,221 deeds recorded in December, a 17.2 percent increase from 5,310 deeds recorded in November, and a 7.7 percent increase from 5,774 deeds recorded in December 2012.
There were also 3,055 mortgages recorded in December, a 23 percent increase from 2,484 mortgages recorded in November, but a 6.3 percent decrease from 3,259 mortgages recorded in December 2012.
There were 10,220 properties sold at foreclosure auction out of 16,084 scheduled for sale in 2013, according to statistics from Grant Street Group.
In December, 795 properties were auctioned, according to Grant Street. Of those, 631 were sold back to the plaintiff — typically a bank or mortgage company — in the foreclosure proceeding, and 164 were sold to a third party.
There were 445 sales canceled in December, out of 1,240 scheduled for sale. The cancellation rate was 35.9 percent, compared with 37.8 percent in November.
For more info., visit www.mypalmbeachclerk.com.
ABOVE: Palm Beach County Clerk & Comptroller Sharon Bock.
