“I think a lot of it has to with the economy,” he said. “A lot of jobs have gone away, you know, the high paying jobs, and people’s income have gone down.”

Add onto that the rising real estate taxes and insurance, and some homeowners are in for trouble.

“We’re going more toward the minimum wages jobs,” Robbins said. “We’ve lost so many good paying jobs. It comes down to a situation where a person has to go through a (job transfer), and sometimes they just abandon their homes.”

Number of sheriff sales in county

1985 — 92 houses

1989 — 76 houses

1995 — 46 houses

2005 — 957 houses

2006 — 1,082 houses

Source: Madison County Sheriff’s Civil Department

Number of foreclosures filed in county

2004 — 966

2005 —1,064