Broward County foreclosures fall in April

Foreclosures in Broward County unexpectedly dropped in April from a year ago, according to the Realty Trac listing firm.

New cases, scheduled auctions and bank repossessions totaled 1,851, down 31 percent from March and 11 percent from a year ago.

Prior to the April decline, Broward had four consecutive months of annual increases.

“The April decrease does stand out as a one-month thing,” said Daren Blomquist, a spokesman for RealtyTrac of Irvine, Calif. “It goes against the grain of what’s happening overall in Florida.”

Foreclosures statewide increased 26 percent in April from a year ago, giving Florida the nation’s third-highest foreclosure rate.

In Palm Beach County, total filings in April were 2,363, down 15 percent from March but up 36 percent from a year ago.

By Paul Owers, Sun Sentinel