A zombie property is a home the owner has moved out of while the foreclosure is still in progress. The owner is gone, the lender hasn't taken the house back yet, and the property sits empty in between.
DealMachine tracks 7,386 zombie properties nationwide as of November 2026. Florida has 1,494 of them, about 20% of the total. And 4,402 (59.6%) still have at least 50% equity. This isn't a volume story. It's a short list of empty houses where the owner usually has real money at stake and a deadline to deal with it.
How We Counted
A property gets DealMachine's Zombie Property flag when two things are true on the same parcel: an active foreclosure filing is on record with the county, and USPS data shows the address is vacant. We've ranked each signal on its own in our vacant property leads by state and pre-foreclosure properties by state reports. Zombie properties are the overlap.
We then layered in equity (estimated value minus open loans, counted at 50% or higher) and property tax delinquency. The equity cut was run for the largest states only, so three states show n/a. All counts were pulled from DealMachine property data on November 9, 2026.
Top 10 States for Zombie Properties
| Rank | State | Zombie Properties | Share of U.S. | 50%+ Equity | % with 50%+ Equity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Florida | 1,494 | 20.2% | 661 | 44.2% |
| 2 | Illinois | 761 | 10.3% | 455 | 59.8% |
| 3 | New York | 650 | 8.8% | 508 | 78.2% |
| 4 | Ohio | 476 | 6.4% | 367 | 77.1% |
| 5 | California | 338 | 4.6% | 155 | 45.9% |
| 6 | Texas | 329 | 4.5% | 172 | 52.3% |
| 7 | Michigan | 319 | 4.3% | n/a | n/a |
| 8 | Pennsylvania | 207 | 2.8% | 127 | 61.4% |
| 9 | North Carolina | 169 | 2.3% | n/a | n/a |
| 10 | Oklahoma | 151 | 2.0% | n/a | n/a |
| U.S. total | 7,386 | 100% | 4,402 | 59.6% |
The top 10 states hold 66% of all zombie properties. Florida, Illinois, New York and Ohio alone hold 45.8%.
What the Data Shows
Judicial Foreclosure States Hold Nearly Half
Florida, Illinois, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania all require foreclosures to go through the courts, which often stretches the process past a year. Those five states hold 3,588 zombie properties, or 48.6% of the U.S. total. When the timeline is long, owners who know they'll lose the house often leave early, and it sits empty while the case works through court.
California and Texas have far more homes than Ohio, yet each has fewer zombie properties. Both mostly use faster non-judicial foreclosure, so the empty window is shorter.
Abandoned Doesn't Mean Underwater
78.2% of New York zombie properties have 50% or more equity. Ohio is at 77.1%. Florida is at 44.2%, but it still has the most high-equity zombies in raw count: 661.
Here's a simple example. A $200,000 house with $80,000 owed has $120,000 in equity. At auction, a big share of that can disappear into back interest, legal fees, and a below-market price. That owner has a clear reason to sell first. They just need someone to reach them.
980 Are Also Tax Delinquent
About 13% of zombie properties also have unpaid property taxes. That's a second deadline. The county can move toward a tax sale, and the lender often has to pay the taxes to protect its position. Either way, pressure to act goes up.
Who This Data Is For
- Wholesalers in judicial foreclosure states. Longer court timelines give you more time to find the owner and get a contract signed.
- Rehabbers. Empty homes deteriorate, so price in repairs. Our zombie house flipping strategies guide covers underwriting.
- Investors comfortable with skip tracing. The owner doesn't live there anymore. No new address, no deal.
For a broader list that stacks several distress signals, see our triple-signal motivated seller map.
How to Find Zombie Properties in Your Market
- Filter for Zombie Property. In DealMachine's list builder, pick your county and turn on the Zombie Property filter.
- Add equity of 50% or more. This removes most homes that would need a short sale.
- Skip-trace the owner. Mail sent to an empty house won't reach anyone. Most beginners miss this step.
- Check the auction date in county court or sheriff's sale records. Under 30 days out, call first. Sixty days or more, run a mail and call sequence.
The key metric to look at is equity relative to time left before the auction. High equity with a near sale date is the strongest combination on this list.
Find the Owners Who Walked Away
Zombie properties are a small list, but a valuable one. Get started with DealMachine to find zombie properties near you and skip trace the owners who walked away.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a zombie property?
A home in foreclosure that the owner has vacated before the lender takes ownership. The owner still holds title, but nobody lives there.
How do you find zombie properties?
You need an active foreclosure filing and a vacancy signal on the same property. DealMachine combines both into one Zombie Property filter, then lets you add equity and skip trace the owner's new address.
Can you buy a zombie house before the foreclosure auction?
Yes. Until the sale, the owner can sell. With enough equity, the sale pays off the loan and the owner keeps the difference. Some states, including New York and Illinois, regulate purchases from homeowners in foreclosure, so check your state's rules or use an attorney.
Which state has the most zombie foreclosures?
Florida, with 1,494, or 20.2% of the U.S. total. Illinois (761) and New York (650) follow.
Who is responsible for maintaining a zombie property?
The owner, until the foreclosure sale. Some places fill the gap: New York requires mortgage servicers to inspect and maintain vacant homes in foreclosure, and many cities require vacant property registration.