RealtyTrac: Foreclosures Surged in 1st Half

Foreclosure filings totaled 925,986 in the first half, up more than 30% from the total recorded in the previous six months and up more than 55% from that of the first half of 2006, according to RealtyTrac, an online foreclosure marketplace based in Irvine, Calif.In its Midyear 2007 U.S. Foreclosure Market Report, RealtyTrac indicates that the foreclosure filings -- default notices, auction sale notices, and bank repossessions -- were reported on 573,397 properties nationwide in the first half. The report also shows a foreclosure rate of one foreclosure filing for every 134 U.S. households. RealtyTrac can be found on the Web at http://www.realtytrac.com.