Friday, June 20, 2008

Heavy Backlog Of Foreclosure Cases In Manatee County Only The "Tip Of The Iceberg"

In Manatee County, Florida, the Bradenton Herald reports:
  • The housing foreclosure fallout carries a very real price tag for all of Manatee County. The court system's backlog of foreclosure cases has tripled in the past year. [...] "It's never been like this," [Manatee Circuit Court Judge Paul] Logan said. "I haven't seen any signs that it's getting better. In fact, I've talked to a few local attorneys who represent lenders and I've said, 'Hopefully we've seen the entirety of the problem.' But all of them have told me we've only seen the tip of the iceberg. The bulk of it's still out there. One of them told me we're at least 12 to 18 months out before we see any noticeable change."

For more, see Foreclosures create ripple effect in Manatee (Neighborhoods, courts show strains as housing crisis enters 'uncharted territory').

In a related story, see Warning: Court System Traffic Slows Ahead, which describes budget cuts and an explosion of foreclosures as contributing factors to the current strain on the Florida court system).