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ATTOM Q3 Report: Home Vacancy Flat as Zombie Foreclosures Ease

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According to ATTOM’s Q3 2026 Vacant Property and Zombie Foreclosure Report, the national home vacancy rate stayed at 1.3 percent in the third quarter—unchanged from the prior quarter and from a year earlier—while the share of abandoned “zombie” foreclosure homes edged slightly lower. For Houston and Harris County homeowners who are behind on a mortgage, that mix of tight vacancy and fewer abandoned homes is a reminder that empty houses remain scarce, foreclosure timelines still matter, and early outreach can help you stay in control of your options.

What the national numbers show

ATTOM reviewed publicly recorded real estate data—including foreclosure status, equity, and owner-occupancy—matched with updated vacancy information. Out of 104.6 million residential properties nationwide, 259,666 were in the foreclosure process in the third quarter of 2026. About 3.3 percent of those homes, or 8,482 properties, were classified as zombies: places owners left before the foreclosure process finished. That zombie rate was a bit below the 3.4 percent seen in both the previous quarter and the third quarter of 2025.

ATTOM CEO Rob Barber noted that empty homes remain hard to find in most regions, and that 19 states posted vacancy rates below 1 percent—conditions that help keep prices elevated. States with the highest overall vacancy included Oklahoma and Kansas at 2.4 percent, Alabama at 2.2 percent, and West Virginia and Missouri at 2.1 percent. The lowest rates were in New Hampshire (0.3 percent), Vermont (0.4 percent), and New Jersey, Connecticut, and Idaho (each 0.5 percent).

Among 140 metro areas with enough data, the highest zombie rates clustered in Midwestern markets such as Youngstown, Ohio (12.1 percent of homes in foreclosure were vacant), Cedar Rapids, Iowa (11.6 percent), Baltimore (11.5 percent), Fort Wayne, Indiana (11.1 percent), and Akron, Ohio (10.5 percent). Investor-owned homes also stood out: of 24.9 million institutional-investor properties, 879,532—or 3.5 percent—were vacant, more than double the overall national vacancy rate.

  • Overall U.S. vacancy: 1.3 percent in Q3 2026, flat quarter over quarter and year over year
  • Homes in foreclosure: 259,666 nationwide
  • Zombie share: 3.3 percent (8,482 homes), down slightly from 3.4 percent
  • Investor vacancy: 3.5 percent of institutional-owned homes

What this usually means for Texas and Houston homeowners

The ATTOM report is national in scope and does not publish a Houston- or Harris County–specific vacancy or zombie rate in the summary figures above. Still, Texas appears in one clear statewide finding: among states with at least 50 zombie properties, Texas posted one of the largest declines, with zombie homes down 17.4 percent to 166 between the second and third quarters of 2026. Zombie counts rose in 21 states overall, so Texas moving the other direction is notable.

For local homeowners, a flat national vacancy rate usually means inventory stays tight: fewer empty houses for sale, more competition when homes do come available, and less “slack” in the market if someone falls behind. A declining zombie count in Texas often points to fewer abandoned properties stuck mid-foreclosure—good news for neighborhoods—but it does not remove the need for homeowners in distress to act early. If you are behind on payments in the Houston area, the broader pattern suggests the market is still constrained, so protecting your equity and exploring loss-mitigation options before a case advances remains practical.

Warning signs and practical next steps

Vacancy and zombie data are market indicators, not a forecast of your individual outcome. Watch for warning signs that often precede deeper trouble: missed mortgage payments, unanswered lender notices, rising fees, or feeling tempted to walk away from a home you still occupy. Abandoning a property mid-foreclosure is exactly the path that creates zombie homes in ATTOM’s definition—and it can leave you with lasting credit, deficiency, and neighborhood consequences.

If you are struggling to keep up:

  • Open every notice from your servicer and respond in writing when asked
  • Ask about repayment plans, forbearance, loan modification, or other loss-mitigation options
  • Document income, hardship, and any temporary setbacks that explain the delinquency
  • Talk with a HUD-approved housing counselor or a trusted local advisor before deciding to leave the property
  • Do not assume a national vacancy report means your Houston home will sell quickly—or that walking away is the only path

This article is educational and is not legal, tax, or financial advice. If foreclosure risk is already on your radar, get personalized guidance sooner rather than later.

Ready to talk through your situation with a local team that focuses on Houston-area homeowners? Contact Houston Foreclosure Help to start a confidential conversation about next steps.

Source: ATTOM — National Vacancy Rate Doesn’t Budge in Third Quarter

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