After a surge last month, foreclosure activity has fallen sharply in Cherokee County.

There are 420 foreclosures being advertised today in the Cherokee Tribune, the county's legal organ.

The total is a steep drop from 544 foreclosure advertisements last month and is also down from 496 advertisements in September 2009.

So far this year, 3,925 foreclosures have been advertised in the newspaper, pacing well ahead of last year. Through September last year, there were 3,452 advertisements.

Lewis Cline, community executive for the Bank of North Georgia in Canton, said August's total was unusually high as banks saw an influx of property reaching the foreclosure point at the same time.

"It will seesaw high and low at least into the first quarter of next year," he said about the forecast for foreclosures. "I hope to see it abate, but a prediction on the local, state and national economy can't be made."

Attorney Roger Ghai, who operates an office in Woodstock, said he is still seeing many bankruptcy cases as families go down to one income.

He said one reason for the drop in foreclosures this month is that homeowners are working out deals with their banks or mortgage companies to stay in the house.

"Banks just don't want these properties back," he said. "Banks are trying to work something out."

Jeff Heller, an attorney in Canton who also handles bankruptcy cases, said more lenders are extending "more of a helping hand" to stave off foreclosure.

"The last thing they want is real estate on the books," he said, adding bankers are trying harder for solutions "to keep paying customers around."

He said the drop also is partly due to numbers.

"There are only so many houses that can be foreclosed on," he said. "The past 18 months have gotten the majority."