Foreclosure.com today rolled out a groundbreaking WordPress-compatible plugin that allows bloggers, real estate agents and others to instantly add more than 1.2 million listings to their Web sites with just a few mouse clicks.

The new WordPress Foreclosure Listings Plugin delivers a powerful real estate search capability, complete with property thumbnails and aerial photos.

In addition, Realtors® and others in the real estate business who download the plugin will be able to access and view their roster of clients for future contact, creating a list of qualified leads that can be used for other outreach purposes.

Perhaps more exciting, according to Foreclosure.com Director of Partner Relations, Zack Preble, is that those who download the plugin and feature it on their blogs will also share in any revenue that their Web sites generate.

Here’s a snip from Zack:

“Our plugin partners have the ability to literally enhance the content on their sites exponentially in a matter of seconds and then profit from it continually without lifting a finger. It’s leading-edge technology that is easy to use and install — anyone can do it…. Content, money and leads … and it takes seconds to set up and there is no maintenance. It doesn’t get any better than that.”

The WordPress Foreclosure Listings Plugin delivers a complete real estate search and navigation environment quickly and easily by querying the Foreclosure.com database in real-time. Once a partner activates the program, the plugin will automatically create a WordPress page and a search widget.

It’s that simple.

To download and to learn more about the Foreclosure.com WordPress Foreclosure Listings Plugin CLICK HERE. For even more information or technical support please contact Zack at (561) 981-5337 ext. 326.

Rep. Laura Richardson (D-Long Beach) of Sacramento, Calif., defaulted on her mortgage payments and her South Bay home was sold in a recent foreclosure auction, according to the Daily Breeze.

It’s actually the third property of hers to fall behind on bank payments — Richardson is also in jeopardy of losing real estate in Long Beach and San Pedro. She seems to have saved the Long Beach home from foreclosure; however the San Pedro residence is eight months past due and an auction date is already scheduled.

In addition to the various mortgage defaults, Richardson also failed to make almost $9,000 in payments for real estate taxes.

Here’s what she had to say about the mess:

“I should have moved forward in an earlier fashion. I acknowledge that. I intend never to conduct business in that fashion again…. I have financial obligations, and I will fulfill those financial obligations. - There will be no debts to the state of California…. I am not financially wealthy. I am not a millionaire. - Based upon what I was going through, changing four jobs in less than one year, I think any American would understand what that does in terms of a person’s financial stability.”

According to the report, Richardson makes an annual salary of $169,300 as a member of Congress. And as a member of the Assembly, she earned about $116,000 in addition to a per diem for living expenses in Sacramento.

“Lenders’ inventory of foreclosed homes has steadily increased in the past couple of years and is believed to total around half a million homes. Many lenders initially were slow to slash prices, partly because they hoped to avoid huge losses. But more lenders have been capitulating as it becomes clear that delays often merely result in lower proceeds and higher costs for taxes, insurance and upkeep.”

– The Wall Street Journal highlights a significant side effect of the recent downturn in the real estate market — more foreclosures often translates to better deals. When defaulted inventory is high, lenders will naturally accept less for homes to get them off their books and recoup as much as possible from the assets. Always remember that lenders are in the business of lending money and not selling homes. That can work to your advantage, which means that now is perhaps the best time to get in on the action while the prices are right. To search for deals in your area right now click here.

1. Oklahoma City, Okla.
2. San Antonio, Texas
3. Austin, Texas
4. San Jose, Calif.
5. Raleigh, N.C.
6. Salt Lake City, Utah
7. Houston, Texas
8. Seattle, Wash.
9. Charlotte, N.C.
10. Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas

To check out homes and the hottest real estate deals in these desirable areas right now click here.

This time it comes from a disgruntled (and astute) WashingtonCityPaper.com reader who raises a valid point about a glaring inconsistency.

Here’s the snip:

“RealtyTrac’s numbers are inaccurate. Look at the Year Over Year comparison. According to RealtyTrac, DC’s March 08 numbers are 6,040% higher than the March 07 numbers…. RealtyTrac explains this by saying this percentage might not be totally accurate due to improvements in its collection systems. What does that mean? Were the 07 numbers wrong? Are the 08 numbers wrong? How do you have a 6000% difference and not explain it in a hell of a lot more detail? And why do the media just rely on RealtyTrace without any further digging?… If the City Paper wants to know what the DC numbers are, then send a staffer to the Recorder of Deeds office and check the stats.”

For more troubling news reports that reference Realty Trac foreclosure statistics click here, here, here, here and here.