While mortgage foreclosures declined 15% nationally in the first three months of the year, New Jersey remained the highest in the country for ongoing foreclosure activity.

One in every 330 homes are going through the foreclosure process.

Atlantic City has a 1 in 180 foreclosure rate. Trenton has a 1 in 350 rate.

Todd Teta, chief product officer for number-cruncher Attom Data Solutions, says contributing to New Jersey's high foreclosure rate is the long, drawn-out legal process in a foreclosure.

"The rates are very high relative to the rest of the U.S.," he said. "The other dynamic that's happened is they just take a long time in New Jersey — about 50% longer than anywhere else."

New Jersey's foreclosure picture was in marked contrast to the rest of the nation. Attom's figures showed foreclosure activity in the U.S. was down 15% in the first quarter, compared to a year ago, to the lowest level since the first quarter of 2008.

Joe Cutter is the afternoon news anchor on New Jersey 101.5

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