In the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater area, 17.05 percent of home loans were 90 days or more delinquent in March, according to data released Monday from CoreLogic, which tracks mortgage data.

That's up 0.75 percent from 16.30 percent during the same month last year.

Florida as a whole, meanwhile, saw delinquency rates dip 0.38 percent to 18.16 percent.

Both the state and the Tampa area, however, saw foreclosure actions increase in March. The foreclosure rate in Florida was 12.5 percent of all loans, up 1.46 percent from last March; Tampa's foreclosure rate rose 1.83 percent to 11.92. Compare those rates to the national rate, which was 3.57 percent.

The Tampa delinquency rate has gradually increased for two years. In February, the delinquency rate for mortgage holders at least 90 days delinquent was 10.68 percent, according to CoreLogic.

Matt Larson, a housing analyst for Weiss Research in Jupiter, said the data is a reflection of the overall trouble in the housing market.

"If you want to call it a double-dip you can," Larson said. "Many think we never really actually rebounded at all."

Larson said many foreclosures have been on hold as lenders slowed down court actions amid allegations of sloppy paperwork. Others slowed foreclosures, he said, to keep avoid flooding the real estate market with distressed properties.

The delinquency data, he said, shows that Florida and Tampa are far from emerging from the housing downturn. He said he expects home prices to continue to fall, or at least plateau.

"Many people are late on their mortgage payments, if they are paying at all."

sbehnken@tampatrib.com

(813) 259-259-7804

Follow Shannon Behnken on Twitter, @TBORealtyCheck