U.S. Residential Vacancy and Zombie Foreclosure Rates Decline in Q4
ATTOM's latest Vacant Property and Zombie Foreclosure Report indicates a cooling trend in housing instability for the fourth quarter of 2026. The national residential vacancy rate fell to 1.2%, down from 1.3% in both the previous quarter and the same period last year. Similarly, the 'zombie' foreclosure rate—properties abandoned by owners during foreclosure proceedings—dropped to 3%, a decrease from 3.3% in the prior quarter. Despite these national declines, regional disparities remain significant. While states like Arizona and Florida saw substantial drops in zombie properties, others such as Wisconsin and Maryland experienced increases. Additionally, institutional investors held approximately 30.6 million homes during this period, with a vacancy rate of 2.7% among their holdings.
Topics: foreclosure rates real estate analytics vacancy rates zombie properties