Foreclosure completions rise 21.75% in Mass.

BOSTON – January filings of foreclosure deeds, the final step in the foreclosure process, rose 21.75 percent year over year in Massachusetts, but rose only 11.54 percent in Bristol County, according to statistics released today by The Warren Group.

Statewide, 974 foreclosure deeds were filed last month, a 174-deed increase over the 800 recorded in January 2008. Eighty-seven foreclosure deeds were recorded in Bristol County, nine more than the 78 filed in January 2008.

Yet, although more foreclosures were completed in January than in the same month a year ago, fewer foreclosure petitions were filed in almost every Bay State county – and in Nantucket County, the sole exception, the number of petitions was unchanged from a year ago.