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ationwide foreclosure activity rose in October, with 36,766 properties receiving notices—whether through default filings, scheduled auctions, or bank repossessions. That represents a 3% increase from September and a 19% jump from a year earlier, marking the eighth consecutive month of year‑over‑year growth. ATTOM CEO Rob Barber noted the trend reflects a gradual normalization as borrowing costs climb and home‑price growth slows, though volumes remain well below historic peaks.

    On a national scale, one in every 3,871 homes faced a foreclosure filing in October. Florida led with a distress rate of one in 1,829 homes, followed by South Carolina (1 in 1,982), Illinois, Delaware, and Nevada. In large metro areas, Tampa had the highest rate—one in 1,373 homes—partly due to a temporary backlog from Hillsborough County’s data resumption. Jacksonville, Orlando, Riverside, and Cleveland also saw elevated rates.

    Lenders initiated 25,129 foreclosure starts in October, up 6% from September and 20% from a year earlier. Florida again topped the list with 4,136 starts, followed by Texas, California, Illinois, and New York. However, Milwaukee, Indianapolis, Louisville, Washington, D.C., and Detroit experienced notable year‑over‑year declines, indicating uneven regional distress.

    Completed foreclosures reached 3,872 in October, a 2% rise from September and 32% above the previous year, suggesting that earlier‑year cases are finally moving through the system. Texas led with 358 completions, followed by California (336), Florida (243), Pennsylvania (205), and Illinois (187). Chicago recorded the most repossessions among major metros with 122 properties, while Atlanta, New York, Houston, and Riverside also reported high totals.

    Despite these increases, foreclosure activity remains far below the levels seen during the 2008 housing crisis. Analysts view the current trajectory as a return to pre‑pandemic norms, with distress rising from unusually low bases but still not indicating systemic risk.