2½ million troubled homeowners avoid foreclosure during mortgage crisis

From CNN Money:

Mortgage lenders have helped nearly 2.5 million troubled homeowners avoid foreclosure since the mortgage meltdown began in the summer of 2007.

That's according to the latest report from Hope Now, the coalition of banks, mortgage-securities investors and housing counselors formed by the Bush administration to stem the foreclosure crisis.

Hope Now members helped 212,000 borrowers stay in their homes in September, a new record and an increase of 12% from August.

Despite Hope Now's best efforts, however, many homeowners are still falling through the cracks. According to Hope Now, 85,793 homes were lost to foreclosure in September, down 1% from August. At that rate, more than a million families will have their homes repossessed in the next twelve months.