Foreclosures are on the rise; not just nationwide, but right here in Eau Claire county.

Eau Claire County Sheriffs Deputies handle the foreclosure auctions. They say it can happen to anyone, in any house, in any neighborhood.

One bad turn in your financial state, a few missed payments and ignored notifications, and your home could end up at a foreclosure auction, too.

"This is an average neighborhood on the lower north side, but, for instance, today I sold houses that were from 79,000 to 268,000 dollars," describes Sheriffs Deputy John Strand, standing in front of a house on McDonough Street. "Foreclosures seem to be running the full gamut of people that live in the area."

Strand has the sometimes un-savory task of serving people with foreclosure notices. He checks out the light-orange-with-yellow-trim house, climbing the porch steps and peering into the windows.

“Looks like it’s empty,” he says. Thankfully, he explains, he won’t have to deal with a family unwilling to move out of their foreclosed home.

Strand also runs the foreclosure auctions. He says the sales have jumped in the past few years.

For instance, 125 foreclosed homes were sold in 2006. So far in 2008 the county has sold 118, nearly matching the total from two years ago. Most of those were sold back to the banks.

“I think the economy has a lot to do with it,” he says, explaining the trend. “Financial problems always play a role. People get into a bind and can’t get out of it, and the thing that suffers is their living.”

Though foreclosures are on the rise, Strand says they should be the absolute last resort, and so does Mark Willer, Chief Operating Officer of RCU Credit Union.

Willer says they send several notices when homeowners miss payments, offering people a way out of losing their houses.

“The best thing to do if you've had a life-changing event or impact on your income is get in touch with your lender,” Willer recommends. “They'll be able to talk you through what some of your options are.”

Strand knows all too well: Talking to the bank early is key.

"We find a lot of folks just don't do that,” he says. “They just wait ‘til the bad news arrives and by that time it's usually too late."

Some options if you're facing foreclosure:
-Talk to your bank about reducing your payments for a short time
-Try to consolidate any credit card debt you might have.
-Keep lines of communication with your lender open