With home price appreciation slowing and the inventory of unsold homes expanding, the third quarter proved to be fertile ground for sprouting foreclosures, according to RealtyTrac’s quarterly foreclosure market report.

More than 300,000 new foreclosure filings were reported nationwide during the quarter, up 17 percent from the previous quarter and up 43 percent from the third quarter of 2005.

That brings the year-to-date foreclosure total to more than 900,000, more than in all of 2005 and on pace to hit 1.2 million by year’s end.

Colorado documented the highest foreclosure rate during the quarter — one new foreclosure filing for every 127 households — and Florida reported the most new foreclosure filings — 40,136.



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