Property data curator ATTOM released its April 2025 U.S. Foreclosure Market Report, which showed there were a total of 36,033 U.S. properties with foreclosure filings, up 0.4 percent from the prior month and up 13.9 percent from a year ago.
“April’s foreclosure activity continued its gradual climb, with both starts and completions up annually,” ATTOM CEO Rob Barber said in a release. “While volumes remain below historical norms, the year-over-year increases may suggest that some homeowners are beginning to feel the effects of persistent economic pressures.”
Lenders repossessed 3,580 properties through completed foreclosures (REOs) in April, down 2.9 percent from last month but up 23.3 percent from a year ago – marking the second month of REO numbers increasing annually.
Counter to the national trend, states that had at least 50 or more REOs and that saw the greatest annual decline included: South Carolina (down 45.9 percent); Maryland (down 42.5 percent); Ohio (down 22.4 percent); New York (down 17.3 percent); and New Jersey (down 11.5 percent).
Among the 225 metro statistical areas with a population of at least 200,000 that saw the greatest number of REOs included: Chicago (220 REOs); Atlanta (213 REOs); New York City (143 REOs); Houston (114 REOs); and Philadelphia (86 REOs).
Nationwide, one in every 3,950 housing units had a foreclosure filing in April. States with the worst foreclosure rates were South Carolina (one in every 2,311 housing units with a foreclosure filing); Illinois (one in every 2,405); Florida (one in every 2,526); Delaware (one in every 2,617); and Nevada (one in every 2,944).
Those major metrostatistical areas (MSAs) with a population greater than 200,000 with the worst foreclosure rates were Warner Robins, Ga. (one in every 1,512 housing units with a foreclosure filing); Killeen-Temple, Texas (one in every 1,590); Chico, Calif. (one in every 1,720); Ocala, Fla. (one in every 1,731); and Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, Fla. (one in every 1,753).
Among the metro areas with a population greater than 1 million, those with the worst foreclosure rates in April included: Cleveland (one in every 1,964 housing units); Chicago (one in every 2,076), Riverside, Calif. (one in every 2,), Houston (one in every 2,147) and San Antonio (one in every 2,326).
Lenders started the foreclosure process on 25,265 properties in April, up 0.8 percent from last month and up 16.1 percent from a year ago.
Those states that had the greatest number of foreclosures starts in April included: Texas (3,280 foreclosure starts); Florida (2,810); California (2,501); Illinois (1,313); and Ohio (1,135).
Among those major metro statistical areas with a population of at least 200,000, those with the greatest number of foreclosure starts in April included: Houston (1,202 foreclosure starts); Chicago (1,139); New York (1,099); Miami (739); and Atlanta (665).