Lenders seized roughly 7,900 homes backed by delinquent mortgages in Orange County, Calif., in 2010, the third highest number of lost homes on record, according to figures compiled by DataQuick.
The firm's foreclosure records date back to 1992.
Since the housing bust began five years ago, almost 33,000 Orange County homeowners have lost their homes.
The area, and surrounding cities, was once home to the largest funders of subprime mortgages including Ameriquest Mortgage, Argent, Option One, and others. All are now defunct.
Although the numbers looks bleak, last year's foreclosure tally came down for a second consecutive year. According to DataQuick, foreclosures in the county peaked at 11,560 in 2008.
Analysts believe the decline in foreclosures could be due to lenders being more amenable to short sales.
