Fewer home foreclosures in Mason District

The number of foreclosed houses in the Mason District and Fairfax County as a whole is decreasing, reports county spokesperson Brian Worthy, although there are still plenty of foreclosed properties in our neighborhoods.

According to the Department of Tax Administration, the number of foreclosures in the Mason district dropped from 300 in September 2008 to 160 in April 2009. Approximately 1,300 foreclosed homes in the county are currently owned by the mortgage lender, down from a high of 2,257 in September 2008.

There are some additional positive signs: Sales of homes have risen more than 23 percent during the first quarter of 2009. The average number of days to sell a home has fallen each month since November after rising for 41 consecutive months.

You can look up any home address in the county and see who owns it. If house is not being maintained properly, you can call the Department of Planning and Zoning, (703) 324-1300 or file a report online.

If the property is beset by trash or rats, contact the Health Department, (703) 246-2300.

If you suspect an empty house is occupied by squatters, it’s best to call the police, (703) 691-2131.

If you’re behind in your mortgage payments, you can attend a free clinic on foreclosure prevention sponsored by the Hispanic Committee of Virginia, Saturday, June 11, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., at Wakefield High School in Arlington. For details, call (866) 842-3391. The county also provide referrals to free counselors for homeowners facing foreclosures.

The county’s Silver Lining Initiative, which helps first-time homeowners buy foreclosed properties, is currently full, but will reopen in the fall. The program provides no-interest, deferred second trust loans from the Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority to qualified first-time homebuyers. The purchase price must be 15 percent below appraised value.