Of the 222,318 properties in the foreclosure process, 7,519 had been abandoned by their owners, a 3.38% share, according to the report. This figure, known as a “zombie” property, is up slightly from 3.30% in the second quarter of 2025 and 3.14% in the same period last year.
“Vacant and zombie homes can hurt the value of surrounding properties and start a negative spiral in a local housing market,” said Rob Barber, CEO of ATTOM. “While we’ve seen the rate of zombie homes tick up a tiny bit this quarter, the overall rate of vacant homes and homes in the foreclosure process has remained remarkably steady.”
He added that “there remain some markets with worryingly high rates of vacancies, [but] as a whole it appears that the nation’s buyers are quickly filling homes that become available.”
Zombie foreclosure numbers rose in 23 states between the second and third quarters, though most increases were minor. Colorado and Washington saw the sharpest year-over-year growth, more than doubling their zombie property counts. By contrast, Georgia, New Jersey, Illinois, and New York posted some of the largest declines.
Vacancy rates varied widely by state. Oklahoma led with 2.4%, followed by Kansas, Alabama, Missouri, and West Virginia. Northeastern states, including New Hampshire, Vermont, and New Jersey, recorded the lowest levels, all under 0.6%.