Northern Colorado foreclosure numbers were mixed in February, with Larimer County reporting one of the greatest rates of decline in the state while Weld County had the highest rate of foreclosure filings.

According to data from the Colorado Division of Housing, Larimer County saw 152 initial filings in February - a decrease of 24 percent since February 2009 and 30.3 percent since February 2008. There were 73 foreclosure sales in February, a slight increase from 2009 and a 25 percent decrease from 2008. In all, there was one completed foreclosure for every 1,529 households in the county.

In Weld County, initial foreclosure filings were up 5.3 percent compared to last year but down 15 percent from February 2008. Weld did see the largest year-over-year decline in foreclosure sales in the state. The county's 134 sales in February mark a nearly 20 percent decline from February 2009. Weld also had the distinction of the highest completed foreclosure rate in the state at one per every 639 households, which was an improvement from February 2009's one per every 512.

Statewide, February foreclosure filings increased 6.5 percent and foreclosure sales were up 14 percent. Division of Housing spokesman Ryan McMaken pointed out that in February 2009 market conditions were somewhat different.

"Early last year, Fannie, Freddie and some major services joined in a moratorium on foreclosures, so it's not surprising that this year, with no moratorium in place, numbers are higher," McMaken said. "Yet the overall trend shows that new foreclosure filings are flattening out for now."