Wrentham Sees Jump in Foreclosures Started in March

Wrentham's number of foreclosures started saw a marked increase in March, according to information released last week.

The data, compiled by real estate information firm The Warren Group, showed that the number of foreclosure petitions, which represent newly started foreclosures, jumped from two in March 2010 to five last month. The number of foreclosure deeds (or completed foreclosures), though, dropped from one last year to zero in March.

The state saw a continuation in its months-long decline in foreclosure activity. Foreclosure petitions dropped from 2,581 in March 2010 to 1,048 last month, a 59 percent fall. Foreclosure deeds declined by 60 percent, from 1,391 to 552.

Warren Group CEO Timothy Warren, though, said in a statement that foreclosures may continue to be a problem.

"We haven't seen a drastic improvement in the housing market to signal the foreclosure crisis is over," he said in a statement. "There are likely more foreclosures in the pipeline, which will come to the surface in coming months."

Here are the foreclosure statistics for area towns:

• In Dover, foreclosure petitions fell from one to zero in March. The town had no completed foreclosures in March 2010 or 2011.
• Easton saw its foreclosure petitions jump from two to three year-over-year. The town's foreclosure deeds, though, dropped from four to two.
• Foxborough had its foreclosure petitions jump from two to three, but its foreclosure deeds fall from two to one.
• Mansfield's foreclosure petitions dropped sharply in March, from 11 last year to two last month. Foreclosure deeds also fell, from one to zero.
• Medfield saw a steep decline in its foreclosure peitions, dropping from five to one. The town did not have any completed foreclosures in either March 2010 or 2011.
• Norfolk's foreclosure petitions remained steady at one for March 2010 and 2011. The town's foreclosure deeds were steady at zero.
• Norton foreclosure petitions fell quite a bit in March, from nine to three. Foreclosure deeds saw a similar drop, from seven to one.
• Norwood saw a slight drop in March petitions, falling from seven to six. Deeds fell sharply, from three to zero.
• Plainville foreclosure petitions and deeds both remained steady — petitions at three and deeds at one.
• Sharon saw its foreclosure petitions fall precipitously, from eight to zero. Deeds fell from two to one.
• Stoughton's foreclosure petitions fell from 12 to four in March, with deeds dropping from five to two.