Dallas foreclosures drop to lowest level in almost three years

Foreclosure postings in the Dallas-Fort Worth area fell in July-September period to their lowest level in 11 quarters, a new report says. From July through Texas’ upcoming foreclosure auctions in September, 12,876 postings were filed on area homes, a 21% decline from the 16,229 postings recorded for the third quarter of last year, according to a report from Foreclosure Listing Service Inc. Postings also declined on a year-to-date basis, according to FLS. “For the first time in 11 years, year-to-date residential postings declined,” said George Roddy Sr., president of Foreclosure Listing Service. Through September, 42,380 postings have been filed threatening Dallas-area homes with foreclosure, a 12% decline from the 48,081 postings filed over the same period last year. The report covers the four counties in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area: Dallas, Tarrant, Collin and Denton. All four saw foreclosure postings drop from a year earlier to their lowest levels in two years or more. Foreclosure postings increased for homes valued below $100,000, rising 7%, but dropped for all other price segments. Of the homes posted for foreclosure this year, 83% were priced under $200,000. “The average Joe is still the one feeling the pains of this foreclosure crisis,” said Roddy. So-called underwater postings, or those where homeowners owe more than their homes are worth, rose 34% to 11,807 so far this year from the same period a year earlier, to 11,807. They made up 28% of total residential foreclosure postings, up from 21% through September 2010 and 16% in the same period in 2009. On the flip side, though, the surge in underwater postings provides a “tremendous opportunity” for investors, he said. Write to Liz Enochs.