California became the biggest state in the United States in terms of foreclosure fillings, taking up about 18 percent of the national total, according to figures released on Wednesday.

The state reported 80,595 first-quarter foreclosure filings, numerically more than any other state, said RealtyTrac which provided the figures.

Foreclosures increased 68 percent statewide from the previous quarter and more than doubled from the first quarter of 2006, resulting in a foreclosure rate of one foreclosure filing for every 152 households -- fifth highest among the states and 1.7 times the national average, according to RealtyTrac.

With 45,156 foreclosure filings during the quarter, Florida ranked second among the states in terms of total foreclosure activity.

Nationwide, first-quarter foreclosure rates were up 35 percent nationwide compared to the same quarter last year. Default notices, auction sale notices and bank repossessions totaled 437,498, making the foreclosure rate of one per 264 households the highest since RealtyTrac began issuing its report 27 months ago.

Nevada had the highest first-quarter foreclosure rate -- one per 75 households -- with a total of 11,514 foreclosure filings, an increase of 66 percent from the previous quarter and more than double the total reported in the first quarter of 2006.

Colorado foreclosure filings totaled 16,435 for the quarter, enough for the state to register the nation's second highest state foreclosure rate -- one per 111 households. Foreclosures were up 6 percent from the previous quarter and 24 percent from the first quarter of 2006.

Georgia foreclosure activity in the first quarter decreased on a year-over-year basis, but the state's first-quarter foreclosure rate of one foreclosure filing for every 138 households still ranked third highest in the nation, according to RealtyTrac. The state reported a total of 22,391 foreclosure filings during the quarter, the sixth most of any state and a 10 percent increase from the previous quarter.

"Certainly the surge in subprime defaults has contributed to the overall rise in foreclosures; we estimate that more than 50 percent of the foreclosure activity we charted in the first quarter was from subprime loans," said RealtyTrac Chief Executive Officer James J. Saccacio.

Source: Xinhua