ATTOM: Foreclosure Activity Rises

(Illustration credit: Jakub Zerdzicki via Pexels)

Foreclosure activity increased in the first quarter, with both starts and completed foreclosures posting solid year-over-year gains, ATTOM’s new U.S. Foreclosure Market Report said.

“While volumes remain below historical peaks, the continued rise, especially in starts and bank repossessions, suggests financial pressure may be building for some homeowners and could signal shifting housing market dynamics,” ATTOM CEO Rob Barber noted.

A total of 82,631 U.S. properties started the foreclosure process during the first quarter, up 7% from the previous quarter and up 20% from a year ago. States that had the greatest number of foreclosure starts included Texas (10,617 foreclosure starts) Florida (10,099 foreclosure starts), California (7,985 foreclosure starts), Georgia (4,356 foreclosure starts) and New York (3,886 foreclosure starts).

Nationwide, one in every 1,211 housing units had a foreclosure filing in the quarter. States with the worst foreclosure rates were Indiana (one in every 739 housing units with a foreclosure filing), South Carolina (one in every 743 housing units), Florida (one in every 750 housing units), Delaware (one in every 757 housing units) and Illinois (one in every 833 housing units).

Lenders repossessed 14,020 U.S. properties through foreclosure (REO) in the first quarter, up 2% from the previous quarter and up 45% from a year ago, ATTOM found. Properties foreclosed in early 2026 had been in the foreclosure process for an average of 577 days, down 3% from the previous quarter and down 14% from the same time last year, marking six consecutive quarters of decline.

“Foreclosure activity continued to trend upward in Q1 2026, with both starts and completions increasing year-over-year,” the report said. “While volumes remain low by historical standards, the sustained growth over recent quarters may point to a market gradually adjusting to broader economic pressures.”