Irvine, Calif. – September 19, 2026 -- U.S. lenders repossessed 5,794 properties through completed foreclosures in August 2026, a 42 percent jump from a year earlier and the sharpest annual increase among all foreclosure metrics tracked by ATTOM.
Total foreclosure filings climb 13 percent year over year to 40,277 properties
ATTOM's August 2026 U.S. Foreclosure Market Report counted 40,277 properties with default notices, scheduled auctions or bank repossessions, up 1 percent from July and up 13 percent from August 2025. Nationwide, one in every 3,569 housing units had a foreclosure filing during the month.
Completed foreclosures (REOs) rise 22 percent month over month
Lenders repossessed 5,794 properties in August, up from the prior month and up 42 percent annually. Texas led all states with 1,835 REOs, followed by California (589), North Carolina (356), Arizona (296) and Alabama (286). Among metro areas, Houston recorded 448 REOs, Dallas 402, San Antonio 256, Phoenix 186 and Baltimore 167.
Florida, Texas and California top foreclosure starts as new filings rise 7 percent annually
Lenders initiated foreclosure proceedings on 25,894 properties in August, down 3 percent from July but up 7 percent from a year ago. Florida led with 3,189 foreclosure starts, followed by Texas (3,126), California (2,565), Illinois (1,192) and Georgia (1,189). Several metros bucked the national trend with sharp declines, including Cleveland, OH (down from 281 to 175 starts), Washington, DC (down from 364 to 227), Providence, RI (down from 88 to 55), Raleigh, NC (down from 81 to 57) and Kansas City, MO (down from 104 to 75).
South Carolina posts worst state foreclosure rate at one in 1,547 housing units
South Carolina recorded the nation's highest foreclosure rate, followed by Nevada (one in 1,920 housing units), Florida (one in 2,397), Texas (one in 2,445) and Maryland (one in 2,530). Among metros with populations of at least 200,000, Columbia, SC posted the worst rate at one filing per 1,232 housing units, ahead of Punta Gorda, FL (1,249), Spartanburg, SC (1,262), Fayetteville, NC (1,458) and Charleston, SC (1,501).
"August's data shows that foreclosure activity continues to trend above year-ago levels, particularly in completed foreclosures, which saw a notable annual increase," said Rob Barber, CEO at ATTOM. He added that overall foreclosure volumes remain well below historical norms.
ATTOM's methodology draws on filings from more than 3,000 U.S. counties, representing over 99 percent of the population, covering default notices, auction filings and bank repossessions.