IRVINE, CA-Nevada posted the nation's highest state foreclosure rate for the second month in a row in April, despite a 15% monthly decrease in foreclosure activity, according to RealtyTrac, an online marketplace for real estate and foreclosure data. The state reported one in every 360 units with a foreclosure filing during the month—more than twice the national average.

As GlobeSt.com reported earlier this week, Daren Blomquist, VP of RealtyTrac, said in a prepared statement that in Nevada and Washington, “foreclosure starts have been increasing on an annual basis since late 2012,” while in Oregon and California, “foreclosure starts are still down from a year ago but have been moving steadily higher in recent months.”

A total of 3,227 Nevada properties had a foreclosure filing in April, down 15% from the previous month and down 17% from a year ago, although Nevada foreclosure starts (NODs) were still up 40% on an annual basis.

RealtyTrac's report also revealed that California was among several states that saw an increasing number of foreclosure starts from the previous month. According to Rich Cosner, president of Prudential California Realty covering Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties here, “The increase in NODs is an expected result of the California Homeowner Bill of Rights that took effect in January. This increase in NODs will put no downward pressure on prices because demand for property is so high. It may move some homeowners, who have been living in their home for a long time without making payments, to put their home on the market, but you could put five times the number of NODs on the market and the homes would be sold in less than 30 days.”

Roll over the map to find the foreclosure rates for each state. The darker the blue, the higher the rate. *Map courtesy of RealtyTrac.