Foreclosure activity in October posted its largest month-over-month increase since August 2011, according to RealtyTrac’s latest Foreclosure Market Report. Foreclosure filings – including default notices, scheduled auctions, and bank repossessions, rose 6 percent in October month-over-month, led by a 12 percent monthly jump in foreclosure starts. Read more: 'Surprising' Surges in Foreclosures Here One in every 1,147 U.S. homes had a foreclosure filing during the month. Despite the month-over-month increase, foreclosure starts in October were still down 14 percent from a year ago. “We’ve seen a seasonal increase in foreclosure starts in October for the past five consecutive years, so it’s not too surprising to see the monthly increase this October,” says Daren Blomquist, vice president at RealtyTrac. “However, the 12 percent increase this October is more than double the average 5 percent monthly increase in the past five Octobers, and the even more dramatic monthly increases in some states is certainly a concern. The upward trend in foreclosure starts in those states in some cases could be an indication of fissures in economic fundamentals driving more distress and in other cases is more likely an indication of long-term delinquencies finally entering the foreclosure pipeline.” Foreclosure starts last month rose from the previous month in 34 states. Starts climbed by the largest amounts month-over-month in California (up 21 percent), Florida (up 13 percent), New Jersey (up 15 percent), Illinois (up 20 percent), Maryland (up 300 percent), Washington (up 34 percent), and Michigan (up 37 percent), RealtyTrac’s report showed. On a metro level, the following cities (with populations of 200,000 or more) had the highest foreclosure rates in October: Atlantic City, N.J.: 1 in every 257 homes had a foreclosure filing in October (more than four times the national average) Columbia, SC.: 1 in every 333 housing units Trenton, N.J.: 1 in every 390 housing units Baltimore, Md.: 1 in every 429 housing units Fayetteville, N.C.: 1 in every 460 housing units Jacksonville, Fla.: 1 in every 465 housing units Miami, Fla.: 1 in every 480 housing units Rockford, Ill.: 1 in every 486 housing units Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, Fla.: 1 in every 514 housing units Tampa, Fla.: 1 in every 543 housing units

Source: Realty Trac