In July, Florida recorded more foreclosure activity than any other state in the nation, according to the real estate data firm RealtyTrac. Nine of the top 10 metropolitan areas with the highest rate of foreclosures were Florida cities. Florida has ranked number one in foreclosure-related activities for three consecutive months.
While many areas of the country have experienced a drop-off in foreclosures—initial filings, foreclosure auctions and bank owned properties, the state continues to sift through the backlog of foreclosure cases.
Most people know that mortgage lenders and local government can create liens that require foreclosure action, but many people don't know that condominium and homeowner's associations (HOAs) also can create liens that require them to avail themselves of foreclosure laws in Florida. HOAs have specific legal rights and powers over properties in the community.
This authority includes initiating the Florida foreclosure process for issues related to delinquent monthly fees, dues and special assessments.
Florida may be in the Southernmost part of the United States, but it was and still is the center of the foreclosure crisis. Even today, thousands of Floridians are served with foreclosure papers every month. Florida is a judicial foreclosure state, meaning that foreclosures have to proceed through through the court system in order to be completed. This combination of judicial foreclosure and the severity of the foreclosure crisis has created what is consistently the nation's largest backlog of foreclosure cases; a problem which Florida's government had not addressed until recently.
If you are among the homeowners asking what is a conciliation conference instead of mediation approach to foreclosure prevention negotiation, and wondering if conciliation is the best choice for your particular situation, you'll want to become familiar with this approach and its advantages. Most people have heard of mediation and arbitration, as they are a part of many types of legal actions. 
