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Insights on National Home Vacancy and Zombie Foreclosure Rates

In the final quarter of 2026, ATTOM—a prominent property data and analytics provider—released its Vacant Property and Zombie Foreclosure Report, highlighting a notable decline in both the national home vacancy rate and the zombie foreclosure rate across the United States. This report sheds light on trends in the housing market as the year draws to a close.

Key Findings

1. Decline in Vacancy Rate: The report indicates that the overall national vacancy rate dropped to 1.2%, a slight decrease from 1.3% the previous quarter and a year prior. This trend indicates a tightening of the residential property market.

2. Zombie Foreclosure Rates: Concurrently, the percentage of zombie properties, which refer to homes abandoned by their owners prior to foreclosure completion, decreased to 3%, down from 3.3% in both the previous quarter and the same quarter last year.

These statistics point to a modest stabilization in the housing market, as Rob Barber, CEO of ATTOM, suggests. He noted that while variations exist between states, both vacant and abandoned homes represent a relatively minor proportion of the overall housing stock.

Detailed Analytics

ATTOM's analytics derive from a comprehensive examination of over 105.1 million residential properties nationwide. Data including foreclosure status, ownership types, and owner-occupancy status were integrated into the analysis, enabling an accurate depiction of the current state of the housing market.

During the fourth quarter, 269,195 properties were identified as undergoing foreclosure proceedings. Notably, out of these, 8,040 properties were classified as zombies. While the national picture reflects improvement, certain states exhibited increased volumes of zombie properties compared to the prior quarter.

State-Level Variations

Among the states that reported rising zombie properties, the most significant increases were recorded in:

• - Wisconsin: Increased by 20.9% to 52 zombie properties.
• - Maryland: Saw a rise of 19.2%, accruing 180 zombie properties.
• - Texas: Experienced a 15.7% increase, translating to 192 zombie properties.

Conversely, states like Arizona noted the most substantial decrease in zombie homes, with a 34.9% reduction resulting in 56 properties.

Metro Area Insights

ATTOM's analysis also covers 164 metropolitan areas, revealing interesting metrics regarding zombie foreclosure rates:

• - The highest rates were found in Baltimore, MD (13%) and Youngstown, OH (13%).
• - Conversely, ten metropolitan areas reported no zombie properties, with notable mentions including Bridgeport, CT and El Paso, TX.

Investigation of Vacancy Rates

As the report highlights, home vacancy rates tell a critical story about the housing landscape:

• - The states with the highest vacancy rates included Oklahoma (2.4%), Kansas (2.3%), and Alabama (2.1%). In stark contrast, New Hampshire, Vermont, and New Jersey reported significantly lower rates, all under 0.4%.

Investor-Owned Property Trends

Investor-owned properties saw a notable vacancy rate of 2.7%, with 840,384 homes unoccupied. Indiana led the states with vacant investor-owned homes at 6.5%, reflecting potential investment risks in that area.

Conclusion

ATTOM's fourth-quarter report serves as a significant barometer for understanding home vacancy and zombie rates at a national and state level. The decline in these rates emphasizes a gradual recovery in the housing market, although certain areas still face challenges. As we move forward, continuous monitoring of these rates will be vital in addressing the shifting dynamics of the real estate landscape.