Ok, not really, but the headlines covering 2009 foreclosures may as well have purported such a figure. CNNMoney.com offered an article titled, “Record 3 million households hit with foreclosure in 2009.” The article written by Les Christie and published on January 14, 2010 seemingly reports three million foreclosures last year or at least that’s what the headline reads.

Let’s hope visitors to the site at least read through the first paragraph which states, “Almost 3 million homeowners received at least one foreclosure filing during 2009.”

Even more so, let’s hope that these visitors read through the fourth paragraph which offers even more insight. The article states that while foreclosures FILINGS were at record highs, that actual bank repossessions, or what people in the industry like to call ‘foreclosures’ only increased 1% from 2008 figures. According to RealtyTrac and other foreclosure listing companies the average total remained under a million foreclosures.

In other words a more accurate headline would have read, “2009 foreclosures less than 1 million.”

Call me crazy, but the information provided in the fourth paragraph seems much more considerable than the headline and subsequent introductory paragraph. As ForeclosureResearch has disseminated in the past foreclosure filings should not be utilized to give an accurate interpretation of foreclosures or bank repossessions on a per household basis. Many times a single homeowner will receive up to 3 notices or filings. Also, many investors defaulting on a number of houses each receiving up to 3 notices a piece does not accurately depict the average homeowner.

States across the country should take an initiative similar to Colorado and gain control of their foreclosure statistics. In the meantime someone please send a memo to Christie containing the definition of foreclosure.