February foreclosure filings rose 5% month over month but were still down 1.7% from this time a year ago, according to a new report from Attom.
The number of February’s foreclosure filings, which include default notices, scheduled auctions or bank repossessions, totaled 32,383. Lenders started the foreclosure process on 22,730 U.S. properties during the month, an increase of 8% from January and 1% from a year ago.
Lenders repossessed 3,031 properties through completed foreclosures in February, up nearly 2% from January but down 11% from a year ago. The number of completed foreclosures has been falling in 12 of the last 13 months.
“February’s rise in foreclosure filings suggests evolving market pressures,” said Rob Barber, CEO at Attom. “While some increase may reflect seasonal trends, the uptick in foreclosure starts both month-over-month and year-over-year signals potential shifts. We’ll continue monitoring how economic factors influence foreclosure activity moving forward.”
States with the highest foreclosure rates were Delaware, where one in every 2,278 housing units is facing foreclosure; followed by Illinois, where one in every 2,333 housing units are in foreclosure; Nevada (one in every 2.435 units); New Jersey (one in every 2,695 units); and South Carolina (one in every 2,816 housing units).
Metropolitan areas with a population greater than 200,000, with the highest foreclosure rates in February 2025 were Modesto, California, where one in every 1,486 housing units have a foreclosure filing. It was followed by Lakeland, Florida, Columbia South Carolina, Chicago, Illinois and Atlantic City, New Jersey.
