According to the Chicago Tribune, almost 23,000 homes in the Chicago area received a notice related to a mortgage foreclosure action in the third quarter of 2013. However, foreclosure activity is still down more than 40% from year ago levels.

In Cook County, 11,955 homes received some sort of foreclosure notice in the three months  ended in September. That's down from 15,584 homes in the second quarter and 21,133 in 2012’s third quarter.  

RealtyTrac’s definition of the Chicago area extends from Kenosha, Wis., to Northwest Indiana.