Filings of default notices on residential properties fell in April for Sonoma, Lake and Mendocino counties.
The change followed a statewide trend where the notices decreased 41 percent from a year ago, according to data released Tuesday by ForeclosureRadar.
Despite the drop, the number of properties awaiting foreclosure changed little in California because of the increase in time taken by lenders to foreclose on properties, according to the company.
Sonoma County reported 361 default notices in April, compared to 412 in March and 494 in April 2009.
For Mendocino County, the numbers were 50 in April, 53 in March and 76 in April 2009. The numbers for Lake County were 104 last month, 107 in March and 131 for April 2009.
California reported 27,832 default notice filings last month, compared to 33,139 in March and 47,337 in April 2009.
For notice of trustees sales, Sonoma held steady with 315 in April, compared to the exact same number a year earlier. Mendocino had 50 such notices, compared to 26 the previous year, and Lake had 92, compared to 83 in April 2009.
Click here for the ForeclosureRadar report.
— Robert Digitale