The number of houses sold in California at courthouse foreclosure auctions last month climbed 11.8% to 25,523 in May, with the overwhelming majority of those going back to lenders. In most cases, the banks discounted prices an average of 28% under the loan amount. The largest discounts were 31% to 37% in Sacramento, San Joaquin, Stanislaus and Merced counties - the big 4 when it comes to foreclosure rates.

As a result, the number of houses sold to third party investors statewide climbed 34.6%, according to Sean O'Toole of ForeclosureRadar, which tracks such things. While the largest percentage increase in awhile, the number of properties sold to investors in courthouse auctions remains tiny - only about 3% of the total, he said.

Meanwhile, the number of houses sold to investors or back to banks in May at the courthouse steps in Fresno county totaled 561, up 21% from April and an increase of 257% from the same month last year. That was similar to San Bernardino County's jump