IRONTON — New foreclosure case filings in Lawrence County dipped 4 percent during the first half of 2009, though they still numbered more than past years.

There were 132 new foreclosure cases filed in Lawrence County Common Pleas Court through June 30, down from 137 at the same time last year and up from the 121 during the first six months of 2007. There were 100 foreclosures for the first half of 2006.

Exactly one-third of the new cases (44) were for properties in Ironton.

However based on population measure, there were higher rates of new cases for South Point (32) and Chesapeake (20).

Though many foreclosures properties are owned by non-residents, the population measure was used as a way to judge how widespread foreclosures are in each city or village.

Nearly all cities and villages throughout the county had at least one new foreclosure filing. The remaining list includes Proctorville (12), Kitts Hill (9), Pedro (5), Scotttown (3), Willow Wood (3), Coal Grove (2) and Crown City (2), which serves as the post office for the far eastern portion of the county.

In the first half of 2009, Ohio ranked 12th in the nation for having the highest foreclosure rates. Ohio managed to have new filings for one out of every 460 homes.

In addition, more than 14-percent of Ohio homeowners with mortgages – or one in seven – were delinquent or being foreclosed on, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association which surveys banks and lending companies on a quarterly basis.

Bar Graph:

2009 – 132

2008 – 137

2007 – 121

2006 – 100

Source: Lawrence County Clerk of Courts