In the first half of this year, the U.S. witnessed a significant surge in foreclosures, highlighting the growing financial pressures confronting homeowners across the nation.
According to recent data from ATTOM, a leading real estate data firm, nearly 228,000 foreclosure filings were recorded from January through June. This figure marks a 21% increase from the previous year and a 28% rise from two years ago.
Rob Barber, CEO of ATTOM, noted in a statement that the upward trend in foreclosure rates suggests a deepening financial distress among homeowners. Foreclosures typically occur when individuals fall significantly behind on their mortgage payments, often due to unforeseen life events such as losing a job. ATTOM categorizes foreclosures as encompassing default notices, scheduled auctions, or bank repossessions.
Several states reported the most significant spikes in foreclosure activity during the first six months of the year:
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 dipped during the pandemic and are now creeping back up to 2019 levels, when filings totaled 640,864, 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.
Aimee Picchi