U.S. Foreclosures Rose 14% in 2025, With Q4 and December Accelerating

Overview

• Filings reached 367,460 properties, equal to 0.26% of housing units, yet remained 25% below 2019 and 87% under the 2010 peak.
• Foreclosure starts climbed to 289,441, up 14% from 2024 but still 14% lower than 2019, while lenders completed 46,439 repossessions, up 27% year over year.
• Late‑year activity quickened, with 111,692 filings in the fourth quarter, up 10% from Q3 and 32% annually, and 44,990 filings in December, up 26% from November and 57% year over year.
• Florida posted the highest state foreclosure rate, followed by Delaware, South Carolina, Illinois and Nevada, and Lakeland, Florida, recorded the worst metro rate.
• The average foreclosure timeline fell to 592 days in Q4, though Louisiana’s average reached 3,461 days, and experts warned FHA borrowers could face added risk under new loss‑mitigation rules.