TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) -- Foreclosures in the Tucson area are increasing dramatically and Pima County officials are looking at ways to stem neighborhood blight that vacant foreclosed homes will cause.

There were 4,471 foreclosure filings in the county last year, according to RealtyTrac, an online foreclosure listing service.

An analysis of RealtyTrac data shows filings increased from 322 in the fourth quarter of 2006 to nearly 1,700 in the last quarter of 2007, an increase of nearly 430 percent.

The majority of the 2007 filings came during the second half of the year.

Economists and real estate experts say the increase in foreclosures is adding to the already overstocked housing inventory, which in turn is leading to fewer construction jobs and more families unable to make mortgage payments.

But real estate experts point out that the decline in the housing market means prices are correcting from the overinflated values from the housing boom a few years ago.

The median home price dropped from $280,000 in January 2006 to $244,000 in April 2008.

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Information from: Tucson Citizen, http://www.tucsoncitizen.com

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