LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- The Homebuilder's Association of Greater Little Rock is proud to announce the hire of Sara Reeder as the new Membership and Marketing Coordinator. Her first day was September 19.

Prior to joining the HBA-GLR team, Sara worked as an outside sales representative for Kraft Foods for the state of Arkansas. Sara has the energy, experience and enthusiasm to hit the ground running and to be a great asset to the HBA.

Sara hails from Camden and graduated from the University of Central Arkansas with a degree in Public Relations.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- A new housing report out earlier this week indicates foreclosure rates in the Metro Area are on the rise. These figures – coming from Ccorelogic – show foreclosure rates up in may 2011 – over one and a quarter percent.

While that's up almost a quarter percent from this same time last year, that rate is actually lower than the national foreclosure rate.

That rate still sits at almost three and a half percent.

The report also says homeowners are doing a good job of keeping up with their house payments.

The local mortgage delinquency rate is over four and a half percent – that's down from what it was at this time last year.

The June numbers are in and homes sales were down in June.

Why? Numbers from 2008 through June 2010 were inflated by tax credits for first time and repeat home buyers. The July 2011 reports will be the first ones in a long time in which apples-to-apples comparisons will be possible. When that report is available, we'll start to get a better handle on how healthy housing markets in the state's two largest metro areas are or are not.

For a copy of the full reports for central and northwest Arkansas and some explanations as to why markets were still lagging in June, just click here.