Nearly 26 percent of all residential home sales nationwide were foreclosure sales in 2010, RealtyTrac shows, down from 29 percent in 2009 but up from 23 percent in 2008.
Not surprisingly, homes in foreclosure sold for much less than non-distressed homes. Nationwide, homes in some stage of foreclosure sold for an average of 28 percent less than other homes. In California the discount was more than 39 percent.
Despite the high percentage of sales that are foreclosures, the actual volume of such sales dipped in the fourth quarter. The 43,097 foreclosure sales in California in the fourth quarter of 2010 was more than 43 percent less than during the same quarter a year earlier. Nationwide, fourth-quarter foreclosure sales were down 45 percent year over year.
"Foreclosure sales in the fourth quarter faced the twin headwinds of the expired homebuyer tax credit -- which began to stifle sales volume during the third quarter -- and the foreclosure documentation controversy, which hit in the fourth quarter and temporarily froze sales of foreclosures from several major lenders," RealtyTrac CEO James Saccacio is quoted as saying in a news release announcing the new figures.
"Given those factors, it's not surprising that in the fourth quarter foreclosure sales volume hit its lowest level since the first quarter of 2008."
Distressed properties should continue to dominate the housing market, at least in the near term, he said.
"The Catch-22 for 2011 is that while accelerating foreclosure sales will help clear the oversupply of distressed properties and return balance to the market in the long run, in the short term a high percentage of foreclosure sales will continue to weigh down home prices," Saccacio said. articel from www.mercedsunstar.com... For the latest updates PRESS CTR + D or visit Stock Market news Today
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