T
he number of vacant U.S. homes remained relatively stable in the third quarter of 2025, with a slight increase in abandoned foreclosure properties, also known as "zombies." According to ATTOM's quarterly Vacant Property and Zombie Foreclosure Report, approximately 1.39 million residential properties were vacant as of September 2025, accounting for about 1.3% of the nation's housing stock.

    This share has remained largely unchanged over the past three years, despite cooling buyer activity due to rising mortgage rates and affordability challenges. The report found that 222,318 homes were in foreclosure proceedings during the third quarter, with around 7,500 having been abandoned by owners - a slight increase from previous quarters.

    ATTOM CEO Rob Barber noted that vacant and zombie homes can negatively impact surrounding property values and local housing markets. While the rate of zombie homes ticked up slightly this quarter, the overall rate of vacant homes and those in foreclosure has remained steady.

    Regional trends showed that zombie foreclosure levels rose in 23 states, with Colorado and Washington experiencing the sharpest annual increases. In contrast, Georgia, New Jersey, Illinois, and New York saw notable declines. The Northeast region had the lowest vacancy rates, while large metro areas generally fared better than the national average.

    Investor-owned homes were more vulnerable to vacancy, with 3.6% of these properties empty nationwide. Indiana and Illinois had the highest vacancy rates among investor-owned homes, while New Hampshire, Vermont, and Idaho had the lowest. Zombie activity was concentrated in specific neighborhoods, such as Los Angeles' 91001 zip code, which had over 80% of its foreclosure pipeline abandoned.

    Despite localized trouble spots, Barber emphasized that the data suggests a housing market with steady demand, where buyers quickly fill available homes.