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Yes, foreclosure activity rose about 21 percent in the first half of 2026, but filings are still roughly 86 percent below the 2010 crisis peak and even lower than 2019, the last normal year before the pandemic. The scary headline hides a reassuring story: the market isn’t crashing, it’s normalizing. Here is what the latest data actually shows and what it means for Las Vegas buyers and sellers.
Are foreclosures really rising in 2026?
They are, and it makes for an alarming headline. According to ATTOM’s 2026 Mid-Year Foreclosure Market Report, there were 227,548 U.S. properties with a foreclosure filing in the first half of 2026, up 21 percent from the first half of 2025 and up 28 percent from 2024. Foreclosure starts and completions both ticked up, and the time it takes to complete a foreclosure fell to 563 days, the lowest since 2013.
Taken alone, “up 21 percent” sounds like trouble. But a percentage increase only means something when you know what it is rising from, and that is where the headline falls apart.
Rising from what? The numbers that put it in perspective
Here is the context the headline leaves out. Look at first-half foreclosure filings over time:
- 2010 (crisis peak): 1,654,634 filings
- 2019 (last normal pre-pandemic year): 296,458 filings
- 2021 (pandemic low): 65,082 filings
- 2026 (today): 227,548 filings
So this year’s total is about 86 percent below the 2010 peak, and it is still lower than 2019, before anyone had heard of a foreclosure moratorium. We are not near crisis levels. We are below normal and slowly climbing back toward it.
Then why is the number going up?
Because of where it is climbing from. During the pandemic, foreclosure moratoriums and forbearance programs essentially froze the process, and filings fell to record lows in 2020 and 2021. Those artificially low numbers were never going to last. As those protections ended, foreclosure activity naturally began returning to more typical levels. An increase off a record-low floor is not the same thing as a spike toward a crisis.
ATTOM CEO Rob Barber put it plainly: the broader picture “remains one of a market that is gradually returning to more typical patterns,” and the trends point to “a continued normalization of the foreclosure process.” Normalization, not a wave.
Why this is nothing like 2008
The 2008 crash happened because millions of homeowners owed more than their homes were worth. When values fell, they were trapped, and foreclosures flooded the market. Today’s homeowners are in a completely different position.
As of early 2026, roughly 98 percent of mortgaged homeowners have positive equity, with about 310,000 dollars in equity on average. Only about 2 percent are underwater, compared with roughly 26 percent at the depths of the last crisis in 2009. That equity is a cushion: when an owner runs into trouble today, they can usually sell the home, often for a profit, instead of losing it to foreclosure. That single difference is why a repeat of 2008 is not on the table.
What this means if you are buying a home in Las Vegas
If you have been waiting for a flood of cheap foreclosures to hit the Las Vegas market, the data suggests that wave is not coming. Distressed inventory remains historically low, and most sellers have too much equity to end up in foreclosure in the first place. The smarter approach is to focus on the homes actually on the market and buy based on your life and your numbers, not on a crash that the fundamentals do not support. If you are thinking about buying, our quick strategy call is a good place to start.
What this means if you are selling a home in Las Vegas
A normalizing foreclosure market is good news for sellers. It means you are not competing against a flood of bank-owned bargains dragging down values, and it signals a stable, healthy market rather than a fragile one. With most owners sitting on significant equity, the bigger opportunity for many Las Vegas homeowners is simply understanding how much equity they have built. Curious what your home is worth in today’s market? We are happy to put together a free, no-pressure valuation.
The bottom line
Foreclosure activity is rising, but it is rising from record pandemic lows back toward normal, and it remains a fraction of what we saw during the last crisis. With 98 percent of homeowners holding positive equity, this is a normalizing market, not a crashing one. Do not let a headline make your decision for you.
Want to talk through what today’s market means for your specific plans in Las Vegas, Summerlin, or Henderson? Schedule a quick call with us and we will map out your options, buying or selling.
The Arbeli Team, Signature Real Estate Group. Amy Arbeli and Tzahi Arbeli. Call or text (702) 210-8725. This is general market information, not financial advice. Data sources: ATTOM 2026 Mid-Year Foreclosure Market Report; homeowner equity figures per Cotality/ICE first-quarter 2026 data. Figures reflect data available as of mid-2026 and will change over time.
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