Foreclosure filings jumped 21% in first half of 2026
ATTOM data shows nearly 228,000 U.S. foreclosure filings from January through June, with Idaho, Colorado and Georgia posting the sharpest jumps.
By Frankie Delgado · News Reporter
2 min read
Nearly 228,000 U.S. properties faced foreclosure filings in the first six months of 2026, a 21% rise from the same stretch last year, according to data released Thursday by real estate data firm ATTOM.
The count was also 28% higher than two years earlier, ATTOM reported, putting fresh numbers behind the financial pressure hitting some homeowners. The company defines foreclosure filings as default notices, scheduled auctions or bank repossessions.
Rob Barber, ATTOM’s CEO, said in a statement that higher foreclosure rates show more homeowners are under financial strain. A home can enter foreclosure after an owner falls behind on mortgage payments, with job loss among the life events that can push households into trouble.
ATTOM’s latest figures show foreclosure activity is moving back toward levels seen before the pandemic, when filings dropped. In 2019, foreclosure filings totaled 640,864, according to the firm’s data.
Barber said the return toward pre-pandemic levels suggests some homeowners may be facing more financial pressure than they were a year ago.
Where foreclosure activity rose fastest
The biggest year-over-year increases in foreclosure activity during the first half of 2026 were concentrated in a few states, according to ATTOM.
- Idaho: filings rose 59% compared with the same period in 2025.
- Colorado: filings rose 57%.
- Georgia: filings rose 52%.
Florida stood out for its overall foreclosure rate. In June, one in every 2,106 housing units in the state had a foreclosure filing, according to ATTOM.
The figures do not mean every property with a filing will be lost to foreclosure. ATTOM’s definition includes several stages of the process, from notices of default to scheduled auctions and bank repossessions.
Short sales are rising, too
Another housing-market warning sign has also ticked up. Realtor.com reported that short sales rose 16% in the first quarter of 2026 compared with the same period a year earlier.
A short sale happens when a homeowner sells a property for less than the remaining mortgage balance, often as a way to avoid foreclosure. Realtor.com described the increase as a sign that some homeowners are in a financial crunch, though short sales are less severe than foreclosure.
Together, the ATTOM and Realtor.com data point to a tougher stretch for some U.S. homeowners as foreclosure filings rise from pandemic-era lows and more households seek ways out of mortgage trouble.
This story draws on original reporting from CBS News.