|
|
Published October 11, 2007 10:30 pm - For years, those in real-estate sales in Southwest Missouri have said this area has been insulated from much of the economic fluctuations regularly facing the coasts.
Area foreclosures, repossessions on rise
By Melissa Dunson
mdunson@joplinglobe.com
For years, those in real-estate sales in Southwest Missouri have said this area has been insulated from much of the economic fluctuations regularly facing the coasts.
But when it comes to foreclosures, those same agents, along with local government offices and nonprofit agencies, say the Joplin area is seeing the same jump in homes going back to lenders that is taking the rest of the country by storm.
So far this year in Jasper County, 327 families have lost their homes to foreclosure. That compares with 429 foreclosures for all of 2006 and 343 in 2005.
The McDonald County recorder’s office also is reporting a large jump in the number of pre-foreclosures this year. The first step in a foreclosure is the appointment of successor trustees, and as of Tuesday, McDonald County had appointed 76 successor
trustees. That is significantly more than the total of 50 for all of last year. In 2005, 70 cases were reported.
According to the recorder’s office, Barton County has had 19 foreclosures so far this year. Last year, the county had 13. Barton County had 20 in 2005 and 17 in 2004.
Newton County, Mo., and Cherokee County, Kan., did not have local foreclosure information readily available.
Cheryl Ray-Jones, a certified credit counselor with Consumer Credit Counseling Service in Joplin, said her office is seeing such a jump in local home foreclosures that all the counselors in her office recently had to become certified by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development just to deal with the demand. Ray-Jones said her office used to deal primarily with credit-card debt, but that half of its work now comes from bankruptcy and foreclosure proceedings.
“I wish I had the answers,” she said, “because it is a problem that is affecting a lot of people right now.”
Janice Franklin, managing attorney with Legal Aid of Western Missouri in Joplin, said her office has seen an increase in foreclosure counseling in the past few months. Legal Aid has been doing the counseling since last year, and Franklin said the stories are becoming more frequent and more devastating.
“We’ve seen horror stories,” she said. “The ripple effects of foreclosure go through the whole family. We were seeing so many there for a while it was almost one every day.”
Local real-estate sales agents are also trying to deal with the effect of an increasing number of foreclosed homes. Ed August, a Charles Burt sales agent in Joplin, said his office has seen a growing number of foreclosures in recent months.
•
Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.
|
|
Announcements



: Special Offer For New Subscribers
:


 |
|
|
|
2002 KIA OPTIMA EX
4 door, sharp, loaded, leather, CD, sunroof, extra nice, $3200. 1317 Schifferdecker, Joplin....>MORE
HONDA 2001 CIVIC EX
HONDA, 2001 Civic EX, 4 door, automatic, 94,000 miles, $5800; 1998 Accord, 4 door, $4200; 1999 Honda Prelude, automatic...>MORE
1993 CHEVROLET LONG BED
runs good, 4.3 V6, new transmission, needs body parts, $400. (417)438-2508...>MORE
JEEP 2000 CHEROKEE SPORT
JEEP, 2000 Cherokee Sport, 6 1/2” lift, 35” foggers, locked front end, welded rear end, off road use, winch not included...>MORE
1999 FORD EXPLORER LIMITED
4x4, leather loaded, $3500. 417-850-0731....>MORE
1999 PONTIAC GRAND AM
2 door, spoiler, sharp, loaded, automatic, air, CD, extra nice, $2600. 1317 Schifferdecker, Joplin....>MORE
1989 CHEVROLET STEPSIDE
350, V8, custom flames, runs great, $2500. 417-208-6717...>MORE
2001 FORD WINDSTAR SE
Sport, loaded, all options, great looking van, extra nice, $3200. 1317 Schifferdecker, Joplin....>MORE
TOYOTA 2004 TACOMA PRERUNNER
Toyota, 2004 Tacoma Prerunner, TRD off road, double cab, V6, new tires, CD, bed liner, lid cover, 100,000 miles, excelle...>MORE
2002 FORD TAURUS SE
nice car, 3.0 liter V6, $2900. 417-850-0731....>MORE
See all ads |
|
Deerfield Estates
in Carl Junction, prime building sites, reduced $10,000 each. 417-825-0052...>MORE
NEWER 3 BR/2 BA
Lots of upgrades and great location. $149,000 but all offers considered. 903 Katlin, Carl Junction. Pictures www.fsboloc...>MORE
See all ads |
|
DIAMOND SOLITAIRE
Pear-shaped, one carat, diamond solitaire in gold setting. $2,000. Please call 417-825-3238...>MORE
NEW IN BOX
New in box, Lucchese cowboy boots, black, size 9D, $200. (620)231-9256...>MORE
REWARD $50,000 REWARD
Offered for any information leading to conviction of any person or persons known to have been involved in alleged ...>MORE
POODLE, FULL BLOODED
POODLE, full blooded, $75 or best offer. (417)385-8710 after 4:30 p.m....>MORE
5TH WHEEL
5TH WHEEL, 2004 Prowler Regal, 26’, 2 slides, loaded, nice. (620)674-2127....>MORE
INDIAN HEAD PENNIES
INDIAN HEAD PENNIES, 35% Civil War II nickels, V nickels, Buffalo nickels, lots of other coins. Garage full of antiques ...>MORE
(2) TEACUP CHIHUAHUA
APRI puppies. (417)673-1997....>MORE
POODLES
POODLES, standard pups, born 10/10, registered, shots, wormed, family raised. Adorable personalities! 417-673-3892....>MORE
ANGUS HEIFERS
6 Augus heifers, good foundation stock. (417)358-7519...>MORE
YORKIES
12 weeks old, 2 males, AKC, 1st shots, $175. 417-291-6590, Webb City...>MORE
See all ads |
|
 |
|