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Foreclosure activity statewide declined in September, marking the lowest number of deeds recorded so far this year, according to The Warren Group, publisher of Banker & Tradesman.

A total of 510 foreclosure deeds were recorded in September, a 32 percent drop from 754 during the same month a year ago. This is the fewest number of deeds recorded in any month since December 2010, when there were 485 completed foreclosures. A total of 6,486 foreclosure deeds have been filed so far this year, a 3.5 percent increase compared to 6,265 deeds recorded during the same period last year.

Deeds also dropped in the third quarter, decreasing 30 percent to 1,724 from 2,483 during the third quarter 2011.

“Foreclosure deeds declined for the fourth month in a row, another strong indicator of a housing market recovery,” said Timothy M. Warren Jr., CEO of The Warren Group.

In September, a total of 1,420 petitions were initiated – a 22 percent increase from 1,164 in September 2011. Petitions dropped from the previous month – decreasing 22.5 percent from 1,833 petitions recorded in August.

Year-to-date foreclosure petitions are up over last year. A total of 13,876 foreclosure petitions have been initiated so far this year, up 47.3 percent from 9,417 petitions filed the same period last year.

A total of 4,451 petitions were filed in the third quarter, an 11 percent increase from third quarter 2011 when there were 4,002 petitions filed.

The number of auction announcements tracked by The Warren Group also decreased in September. Auction announcements declined 44.8 percent to 902 from 1,634 in September 2011. From January through September, 11,326 auctions have been announced, a 13.3 percent decline from 13,070 auctions during the same period in 2011.

*An earlier version of this story has been updated to reflect correct foreclosure petition information.