The past few weeks have delivered a few glimmers of economic hope, but the number of home foreclosures in Horry County continues to sky rocket.
At the Master-in-Equity office which handles all home foreclosures, the stacks of paper are overwhelming.
The woman who processes all the claims says foreclosures began creeping up in 2008 and haven't stopped.
In 2007, there were a total of 1,264 foreclosures.
In 2008, there were 2,846.
As of August 31st of this year, there have already been 3,610.
"Foreclosures are not getting better. I mean, they are not cutting off at all. They're just increasing more and more each day. It's overwhelming. It is definitely overwhelming," said Anne Lawson, who handles foreclosures for Horry County.
Horry County is making some cash off all the foreclosures: more than $2 million from the fees and commissions brought in on the handling and sales of these foreclosed homes.
If you need help:
The US Department of Housing and Urban development has advice for you if you think you could be at risk of foreclosure.
- Make sure you don't ignore the problem - the further behind you become the more likely you are to lose your home.
- Contact your lender as soon as you realize you have a problem - It's possible there are other options available.
- You can contact a HUD counselor who can help you negotiate with lenders and help you understand your options - the number to call is 800 - 569 - 4287
