Foreclosures surged 21% in the first half of 2026, new data shows

Foreclosures across the U.S. ballooned in the first half of the year, a sign of the increasing financial strain facing the nation's homeowners.

Foreclosure filings reached nearly 228,000 from January to June, up 21% from a year ago and 28% from two years ago, according to data released Thursday from real estate data company ATTOM.

Rising foreclosure rates indicate that more homeowners are in financial distress, Rob Barber, CEO of ATTOM, said in a statement. Homes go into foreclosure when the owner falls behind on mortgage payments, often due to extenuating life circumstances such as a job loss. ATTOM defines foreclosures as default notices, scheduled auctions or bank repossessions.

The states with the biggest jumps in foreclosure activity in the first half of the year were:

When it comes to the highest overall foreclosure rates, Florida dominates. In June alone, one in every 2,106 housing units in the state had a foreclosure filing.

Foreclosures, which totaled 640,864 in 2019, dipped during the pandemic but are now creeping back up, per ATTOM data.

With the data showing that foreclosure rates are returning to their pre-pandemic levels, "the increases also suggest that some homeowners may be facing greater financial strain than they were a year ago," Barber said.

In another sign of strain for American homeowners, new data from Realtor.com reveals that short sales — when a homeowner sells a home for less than what they owe on their mortgage often to avoid foreclosure — are climbing.

While the measure is less drastic than a foreclosure, it indicates the homeowner is in some sort of financial crunch. Short sales rose 16% in the first quarter of 2026 compared to the same time last year, according to Realtor.com.