Lane County foreclosure picture better than state
EUGENE, Ore. - More homeowners in Lane County are facing foreclosure.
Lane County foreclosure notices have climbed 67 percent since last year (for the 3rd quarter), but that's better than the national average of 71 percent.
It's much better than the Oregon average of 146 percent.
But while the increase in local filings may be lower, homeowners are still getting hammered.
The housing crisis still has a choke-hold on many families nationwide, but the numbers are starting to back off from summertime peaks, and at least one realtor says that's almost a reason to celebrate.
Eugene realtor Marie Due has been crunching the numbers. While the national statistics still look very dim, she says the mortgage mess is less messy in Lane County.
"But we do see that the numbers of not only foreclosure filings but also houses going to auction, are really coming on a level," she said.
The realtor feels Eugene-Springfield is not seeing the same level of crisis because mortgage brokers are, in her words, "not as radical." She explains, "They didn't do as many of the outrageous loans that they did in some of the areas, like California."
So while Lane County and Eugene-Springfield are faring a little bit better, compared to say, Las Vegas, it's little comfort if you're the one being foreclosed on. Just ask Russ Vann.
Vann's housing headaches began in 2006 when he had an accident and totaled his business truck. Just before that, he had refinanced the house.
"It came out that they didn't put my taxes and insurance in the impound, the escrow impounds," explains Vann.
He adds his house payments soared from $1,300 a month, to $2,400. He defaulted on his payments.
"It's put a real damper on our outlook on life," Vann said.
Vann and his wife want to stay in Eugene, but it all depends on finding someplace to rent with bad credit.
"We might even pitch a tent by the river," he said. "I don't know. Don't know where we're going to be,"
Vann said he and his wife called their north Eugene house their home for 4 and a half years.
