Large Number of Foreclose Homes Are Vacant

Is anyone home? Apparently not in a large share of foreclosed homes. Twenty percent of foreclosures nationwide are abandoned by their owners and left vacant, according to RealtyTrac.

It’s important to move vacant foreclosures quickly so that they don’t negatively impact surrounding real estate values, says Daren Blomquist, vice president of RealtyTrac. Bank of America, GMAC, Chase, Wells Fargo and Citi hold the highest number of vacant foreclosures.

Twenty-nine percent of the vacant foreclosed homes are priced below $50,000; 25 percent are between $50,000 to $100,000; and 12 percent are in the $1 million-plus range, according to RealtyTrac.

The states with some of the highest percentages of vacant foreclosures are:

Indiana: 32%
Oregon: 28%
Nevada: 28%
Washington: 27%
Georgia: 27%

Still, “even if all these homes flooded the market simultaneously, they would likely not cause the once-feared double dip in prices given supply constraints from non-distressed sellers and stronger demand,” Blomquist says.

Source: “RealtyTrac: 20% of Foreclosures Remain Vacant After Owner Departs,” HousingWire (June 20, 2013)