Upward movement in foreclosure numbers appears to show some further signs of normalization in the housing market, according to the latest data from ATTOM.
ATTOM’s Q1 2026 Foreclosure Market Report found that there were 118,727 properties with a foreclosure filing, up 6% quarter-over-quarter, and up 26% year-over-year. Breaking it down, one in every 1,211 housing units had a foreclosure filing in Q1.
Looking at the monthly data, there were a total of 45,921 properties with foreclosure filings in March, up 18% month-over-month and 28% year-over-year.
Foreclosure starts were also up 7% quarter-over-quarter and 20% year-over-year to 82,631 properties.
The increases in filings and starts, while “below historical peaks,” as ATTOM CEO Rob Barber stated, “suggests financial pressure may be building for some homeowners and could signal shifting housing market dynamics.”
Looking at the state data for filings, the states with the worst foreclosure rates were Indiana (one in every 739 housing units with a foreclosure filing), South Carolina (one in 743 units), Florida (one in 750 units), Delaware (one in 757 units) and Illinois (one in 833).
Metro area wise, the worst rates were in Lakeland, Florida (one in 409); Punta Gorda, Florida (one in 416); Columbia, South Carolina (one in 440); Fayetteville, North Carolina (one in 480); and Macon, Georgia (one in 492). For major metros (at least 1 million population), the top 20 areas with the worst rates included Cleveland, Ohio (No. 6); Jacksonville, Florida (No.11); Indianapolis, Indiana (No. 12); and Orlando, Florida (No. 17).
In terms of state data for starts, states with the most starts included Texas (10,617 foreclosure starts), Florida (10,099), California (7,985), Georgia (4,356) and New York (3,886). Metro area wise, the areas with the most starts were New York, New York (3,868); Houston, Texas (3,614); Chicago, Illinois (3,401); Atlanta, Georgia (2,520 foreclosure starts); and Dallas, Texas (2,427).
In addition to foreclosure filings and starts increasing, bank repossessions (REOS) also rose 2% quarter-over-quarter and 45% year-over-year to 14,020 properties.
The states with the largest year-over-year increases in REOs were Colorado (from 99 REOs in Q1 2025 to 321 REOs in Q1 2026), Alabama (from 153 to 355), Washington (increase from 104 to 224), Oregon (from 80 to 170) and Florida (from 487 to 1,014).
