By: Elizabeth Martinez

Miami, FL- Low mortgage rates and low prices were all expected to fuel the recovery of the housing market. Although foreclosure activity has slowed down in the first half of 2010, monthly reports show an increase in foreclosures from last month. The online marketplace for foreclosure properties RealtyTrac, in its 'Foreclosure Market Report', shows that 325,229 houses received foreclosure filings in the country. This number includes default notices, scheduled auctions and bank repossessions. This indicates a 4 percent increase from June's numbers. This is one more month in which foreclosures have exceeded the 300,000 mark as it has happened for the last 17 months straight.

James J. Saccacio, chief executive officer of RealtyTrac, explained the latest foreclosure activity by saying:  "Declines in new default notices, which were down on a year-over-year basis for the sixth straight month in July, have been offset by near-record levels of bank repossessions, which increased on a year-over-year basis for the eighth straight month."

Making the list of states with higher foreclosure filings were Nevada, Florida, and California, among others.  In Nevada, one in every 82 houses received foreclosure notices, thus topping the state foreclosure list for the 43rd month in a row. In Florida, one in every 171 houses was foreclosed, similar to   California where one in every 200 homes received filing.

Banks foreclosed on 92,858 U.S. properties last month. This is a 9% increase from the prior month. Similarly, Foreclosure auctions were scheduled for the first time on 135,248 U.S. properties in July, down up 2% from the previous month.

According to RealtyTrac's reports for July, REO total was the second highest monthly total since it began tracking REO activity in April 2005.