Financial institutions took back more U.S. homes in Jan than in the previous 30 days, the latest sign that home property home loan foreclosures are increasing after reducing greatly last season while loan companies sorted out foreclosure-abuse claims.

Foreclosures rose 8 % country wide last 30 days from January, but were down 15 % from last season.

Despite the annual decrease at the national level, some states posted distinct increases compared to Jan 2011. In New Hampshire, home property home loan foreclosures leaped 62 %. In Boston, 75 %.

That trend is expected to strengthen this season in light of last week's $25 billion settlement between the nation's biggest loan companies and 49 condition attorneys general over the sector's handling of home property home loan foreclosures.

Many banks and home loan servicers processed home property home loan foreclosures without making sure documents. Some employees signed papers they hadn't read or used fake signatures to speed home property home loan foreclosures – a practice named "robo-signing."

Major banks temporarily put home property home loan foreclosures on hold after the problems appeared in the fall of 2010. Some had to refile previously submitted foreclosures situations and review awaiting situations to prevent errors. Those setbacks and concern over condition and federal probes into the sector's foreclosures practices led to a distinct decline in foreclosures activity last season.