A record 3m US homes will be repossessed by lenders this year as high unemployment and depressed home values leave borrowers unable to make their house payment or sell, according to a RealtyTrac Inc forecast.

Last year there were 2.82m foreclosures, the most since RealtyTrac began compiling data in 2005. More than 4.5m filings are expected this year, including default or auction notices and bank seizures, said Rick Sharga, senior vice president for the Irvine, California-based seller of default data and forecasts. There were 3.96m filings in 2009.

bloomberg.com