Florida Has Long Been Feeling Housing Pains

ByABC News
October 2, 2008, 7:46 AM

— -- Long before the debate over a federal bailout of the nation's financial institutions took center stage, sagging property values and soaring mortgage payments triggered in part by adjustable interest rates and increasing taxes threatened to force thousands of Floridians into foreclosure.

According to RealtyTrac, Florida's 44,000 foreclosure filings in August trailed only California in the number of properties affected. California had 101,724 filings. Florida's foreclosure woes surpassed the rest of the Top 5 states: Arizona, 14,333; Michigan,13,605; and Nevada, 11,706.