Lexington, Dover and Sudbury aren’t places you typically associate with foreclosures.

But foreclosure prevention counselors and real estate brokers have been reporting that a growing number of homeowners are defaulting on their mortgage payments because of unemployment.

In fact, a recent report by WBUR focused on Sudbury, a suburb about 20 miles west of Boston where the number of initiated foreclosures has ballooned so far this year.

The report included the auction of a 1,770-square-foot Sudbury home that attracted one bid of $365,000. Its last sales price in November 2003 was $410,000. 

Lenders started 30 foreclosures in Sudbury during the first nine months of 2009, up from just seven during the same period last year, according to The Warren Group.

In Lexington, lenders have started 31 foreclosure proceedings so far this year, up from 19 last year.

And in Dover, where the median home price is over $860,000, 17 foreclosures were started, almost six times higher than the same time last year.

Of course, homeowners in those desirable towns may have a little more luck avoiding a foreclosure auction through a short sale or a normal sale.

Or they may be able to come up with the resources to ultimately save their homes.