National Vacancy Rate Remains Stable Amid Slight Decline in Zombie Homes
The U.S. national home vacancy rate remained unchanged at 1.3 percent during the third quarter of 2026, consistent with both the previous quarter and the same period last year, according to ATTOM's latest report. The number of homes in foreclosure dropped slightly overall but showed regional variation, particularly for 'zombie' properties—homes abandoned before completing their foreclosure process—which fell from 3.4 percent to 3.3 percent nationally. Zombie home rates increased in over half the states during Q3 2026, with notable rises in Kentucky (up 56.8%), Colorado (up 30.1%), and Arizona (up 19.4%). Conversely, Georgia saw a significant decline of 22.8%, followed by Texas (-17.4%) and Ohio (-10.8%). The report also highlighted that vacancy rates remained below one percent in 19 states, contributing to sustained high home prices due to limited availability. Investor-owned properties had notably higher vacancy rates at 3.5 percent compared to the national average of 1.3 percent. States like Indiana and Illinois reported some of the highest investor property vacancies.
Topics: foreclosures housing market property vacancy zombie homes