News Desk / Foreclosures and distress
Foreclosures are rising from a low base: the fall 2026 numbers agents should know
Foreclosure filings, starts and bank repossessions are all higher than a year ago, and the pipeline of homes in foreclosure grew 41%. Volumes are still below pre-pandemic levels. Here is what the two main trackers say, and why their counts differ.
The numbers
U.S. foreclosure activity is climbing, but from a low starting point. ATTOM, which tracks public foreclosure filings, counted 40,277 properties with a filing in August 2026: up 1% from July and 13% from August 2025, or one in every 3,569 housing units. In the first half of 2026, ATTOM counted 227,548 properties with filings, 21% more than the first half of 2025 and 28% more than in 2024.
The steepest increase is at the end of the process. Completed foreclosures, where the lender takes the home back (REO), reached 5,794 in August, up 22% from July and 42% from a year earlier. Texas led with 1,835, followed by California (589), North Carolina (356), Arizona (296) and Alabama (286).
Where foreclosure rates are highest
| State, August 2026 | Housing units per filing |
|---|---|
| South Carolina | 1 in 1,547 |
| Nevada | 1 in 1,920 |
| Florida | 1 in 2,397 |
| Texas | 1 in 2,445 |
| Maryland | 1 in 2,530 |
| United States | 1 in 3,569 |
Source: ATTOM, August 2026 U.S. Foreclosure Market Report, released September 17, 2026. Among metros with at least 200,000 people, Columbia, S.C., had the highest rate (1 in 1,232).
The pipeline is growing faster than the sales
ICE, which tracks loans through mortgage servicer data, counted 298,000 loans in active foreclosure at the end of August 2026, up 41% from a year earlier. Foreclosure starts were 37,000 (up 29% from a year earlier) and foreclosure sales 7,800 (up 12%). Even so, ICE says foreclosure sales are running at 57% of their August 2019 pace. The number of loans 90 or more days past due, the group most at risk, was 574,000, up 19% from a year earlier.
Lenders are also moving faster. ATTOM puts the average time to complete a foreclosure at 563 days in the second quarter of 2026, down 13% from a year earlier and the shortest since 2013. Less time from first missed payment to sale means less time for an owner to sell on their own terms.
Why ATTOM and ICE give different counts
ATTOM's August foreclosure starts were 25,894; ICE's were 37,000. Neither is wrong. ATTOM counts properties with a recorded public notice, such as a notice of default or a lis pendens, and some states do not require a public filing at every step. ICE counts loans that servicers have referred to foreclosure, whether or not a notice has been recorded yet. When you quote one, name it, and compare it only with its own history.
ATTOM's CEO, Rob Barber, summed up the national picture: foreclosure volumes "remain well below historical norms," even as they run above last year.
“Too many owners wait until the auction date is set before they call anyone. If there is equity in the house, an agent who shows them the numbers early can help them sell and keep it.”
What to tell your clients
Owners behind on payments: the first question is equity. Pull what the home would sell for today, subtract the payoff with arrears and fees, and subtract selling costs. If there is money left, a listing sale before the foreclosure sale usually leaves the owner far better off than an auction.
Buyers asking about foreclosures: bank-owned homes are rising, especially in Texas, but they are still a small share of sales. Most are sold as-is, through the lender's own process and timelines; set expectations on inspections, repairs and response times.
Stay in your lane: agents explain market value and the selling process. Legal questions go to a real estate attorney, and loan options go to the servicer or a HUD-approved housing counselor (800-569-4287, free).
Today's numbers
Where the market stands now
The story above is dated October 21, 2026. These update on their own as the publishers release new data.
Questions
Quick answers
Are foreclosures going up in 2026?
Yes, from a low base. ATTOM counted 40,277 properties with filings in August 2026, up 13% from a year earlier, and 227,548 in the first half of 2026, up 21%. ICE says foreclosure sales are still at 57% of their 2019 pace.
Which states have the most foreclosures?
By rate in August 2026: South Carolina (1 in 1,547 housing units), Nevada, Florida, Texas and Maryland, per ATTOM. Texas had the most completed foreclosures, 1,835.
Why do foreclosure numbers differ between sources?
ATTOM counts properties with public foreclosure notices; ICE counts loans referred to foreclosure in servicer data. In August 2026 ATTOM counted 25,894 starts and ICE 37,000.
Sources
- ATTOM, “Foreclosure Activity Remains Above Year-Ago Levels in August 2026,” September 17, 2026. www.attomdata.com
- ATTOM, “Foreclosure Activity Posts Annual Increase in First Half of 2026,” July 16, 2026. www.attomdata.com
- ICE, as reported by The MortgagePoint, “ICE First Look at Mortgage Performance, August 2026 (Foreclosure Inventory Growth Slows to 9-Month Low),” September 28, 2026. themortgagepoint.com
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, “Find a HUD-approved housing counselor,” Accessed October 21, 2026. www.hud.gov
Written by the AgentCOS News Desk in our own words from the sources above. Numbers are as published on the dates shown; publishers sometimes revise them later.