A wave of mortgage foreclosures that struck the Tampa Bay area last year receded a bit in Pinellas and Hillsborough counties in November but gained strength in Pasco County.

Lenders sued 211 Pasco homeowners for nonpayment in November, up 8 percent from October and 87 percent over 12 months. By comparison, foreclosure filings fell 2 percent to 367 in Pinellas and 4 percent to 419 in Hillsborough, according to data obtained from area court clerks.

It's disappointing news for Pasco, where hundreds of homes built during the 2005-06 housing boom remain empty and unwanted. Many were purchased by inexperienced individuals who - egged on by eager developers, real estate agents and lenders - expected to flip the homes for a quick profit. But demand cooled, and now a growing number of these investors are struggling to cover a mortgage they never wanted. Some are simply walking away.

"I don't think there's any mystery to it," said Greg Hallam, president of the Mortgage Bankers Association of Florida. "We lenders don't tell people 'no' often enough. ... You've got to be a sophisticated person to be in the marketplace, and we probably let some in we shouldn't have."

Data compiled by the Information Resource Service of Florida offer additional insight into the 211 foreclosure suits filed in November against Pasco homeowners, who included a dentist, a grocery store produce supervisor, a pizzeria owner and a former Starbucks manager:

- The homes were not mansions. About 73 percent of the single-family houses were valued by the county property appraiser at less than $200,000. Only a handful were worth more than $400,000.

- Roughly 38 percent of those who owned single-family homes were "upside down" on their loans, meaning they owed their bank more money than the home was worth. Such homes can be difficult to refinance or sell.

- Many of the loans used to purchase single-family homes were issued during the housing boom. About 30 percent were a year or less old when the suit was filed, and 62 percent were under two.

- Wells Fargo Bank made more than 10 percent of the 211 loans. Other lenders included Deutsche Bank, Bank of New York, Bank of America and Countrywide Home Loans.

Hallam, a regional vice president for First Florida Bank in Fort Myers, said it's likely that the November decline in Pinellas and Hillsborough foreclosures was a one-month blip. Most studies suggest the nation's housing market hasn't hit bottom yet and won't until the latter half of 2007.

Either way, the two counties have a lot of healing to do before things return to normal. The November foreclosure tallies in Pinellas and Hillsborough were 41 percent and 62 percent higher, respectively, than the totals a year earlier.

Scott Barancik can be reached at barancik@sptimes.com or (727) 893-8751.

New on the market

The percentage change in the number of homes listed for sale at the end of January compared with a month earlier in 18 major metro areas:

Metro Percent area change

1. Miami +6.47

2. Phoenix +4.66

3. Tampa- +4.41 St. Petersburg

4. Orlando +3.97

5. Chicago +3.83

6. San Francisco +2.9

7. Minneapolis +2.6

8. Las Vegas +2.45

9. Seattle +2.24

10. Baltimore +2.15

11. Boston +1.31

12. Los Angeles +1.28

13. Orange +0.85 County, Calif.

14. San Diego +0.74

15. Dallas +0.4

16. Sacramento, +0.28 Calif. +0.28

17. Houston -0.22

18. Washington -0.44

Source: ZipRealty

Struggling to pay your mortgage?

Despite the current drumbeat of filings, banks actually look at foreclosure suits as a last resort. Though policies vary among lenders, here are some ways that banks are willing to work with troubled borrowers.

- If your financial problems are only temporary, a lender may be willing to stretch out your payment schedule or let you make interest-only payments for a while. Some may be willing to reduce a high interest rate permanently.

- If your problems are longer term, a lender may be willing to help you get out of the mortgage. Some banks may let you sell the home for less than you owe and forgive the difference, a so-called short sale. Others may take the home themselves and forgive any remaining debt, known as a deed in lieu of foreclosure. Both can have tax consequences for you.

- Greg Hallam, president of the Mortgage Bankers Association of Florida, says the critical thing is to call your loan officer - the person who accepted your original application - immediately, and preferably before you start skipping payments.

- Help is also available from the Florida Foreclosure Prevention Hotline, a not-for-profit whose counselors offer advice and contact lenders on a borrower's behalf. To apply for help, go to www.ffph.org or call toll-free at 1-877-532-4357.