Foreclosure activity continued its upward climb in May, increasing on a year-over-year basis for the 29th consecutive month, according to the RealtyTrac U.S. Foreclosure Market Report released today. The report showed one in every 483 U.S. households received a foreclosure filing during the month, the highest monthly foreclosure rate since RealtyTrac began issuing its report in January 2005.

Bank repossessions (REOs) accounted for 28 percent of the total activity and the biggest increase among the three types of foreclosure filings tracked in the report. REOs were up 35 percent from the previous month and 158 percent from May 2007. Default notices increased 1 percent from the previous month and were up 35 percent year over year, while auction notices decreased 3 percent from the previous month but were still up 13 percent year over year.

View state-by-state data.

It's apparent from the report that a high inventory of foreclosures will continue to saddle the real estate market. But for how much longer? Does the slowing rate of increase in defaults and auctions represent a patch of blue sky in the midst of a torrential downpour of foreclosures? Let us know what you think.