Maryland posted the fifth-highest foreclosure rate of any state in August 2026, with one in every 2,530 housing units in some stage of foreclosure, according to ATTOM. Filings are up 13% nationally year-over-year, and Maryland homeowners falling behind on payments have more options than most realize, including a fast, private cash sale that can close before an auction date is ever set.
How High Is Maryland’s Foreclosure Rate Right Now?
ATTOM’s August 2026 U.S. Foreclosure Market Report, released September 18, 2026, recorded 1,012 Maryland properties with a foreclosure filing, which is one in every 2,530 housing units. That ranks Maryland fifth-highest in the country, behind only South Carolina, Nevada, Florida, and Texas.
Nationally, 40,277 properties received a foreclosure filing in August, up 1% from July and up 13% from August 2025. Completed foreclosures rose even faster, up 22% month-over-month and 42% year-over-year, though ATTOM notes overall activity is still below pre-pandemic norms.
What’s Driving Maryland’s Foreclosure Increase in 2026?
Maryland’s ranking isn’t a one-month blip. In ATTOM’s mid-year 2026 report covering January through June, Maryland was already among the top 10 states by foreclosure rate at 0.19%, with government-backed FHA and VA loans identified as a primary driver of the increase nationally. Foreclosure starts nationwide were up 18% year-over-year through the first half of the year, even as the average foreclosure timeline shrank to 563 days, the shortest since 2013.
Put simply: lenders are moving through the foreclosure process faster than they were a few years ago, and more Maryland homeowners are entering that process in the first place.
How Does Maryland Compare to the Other States We Serve?
Byrd and Co buys houses across 12 states, and foreclosure activity looks very different from one to the next. Here’s how August 2026 filing rates compare, based on ATTOM’s state-level data:
| State | Foreclosure Rate | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Maryland | 1 in 2,530 | 1,012 |
| Delaware | 1 in 2,796 | 166 |
| New Jersey | 1 in 3,419 | 1,109 |
| Arizona | 1 in 3,265 | 978 |
| Tennessee | 1 in 3,163 | 994 |
| Colorado | 1 in 4,217 | 614 |
| New York | 1 in 5,352 | 1,604 |
| Virginia | 1 in 5,006 | 736 |
| Kentucky | 1 in 5,468 | 370 |
| Pennsylvania | 1 in 5,709 | 1,017 |
| Massachusetts | 1 in 6,489 | 467 |
| Connecticut | 1 in 6,533 | 236 |
Maryland and Delaware sit at the top of that list, both driven in part by high shares of FHA and VA lending in the Baltimore-Washington and Wilmington metro areas. If you’re a homeowner in either state, it’s worth understanding your options before a missed payment turns into a formal filing.
What Are Your Options If You’re Behind on Your Mortgage in Maryland?
Falling behind doesn’t mean foreclosure is inevitable. Maryland homeowners typically have several paths available, depending on how far behind they are and how much time is left before a sale date:
- Reinstatement. Pay the past-due amount in a lump sum to bring the loan current.
- Forbearance. Ask your servicer to pause or reduce payments temporarily while you get back on track.
- Loan modification. Permanently change your loan terms, such as the interest rate or repayment period, to lower your monthly payment.
- Short sale. Sell the home for less than what’s owed, with your lender’s approval.
- Sell for cash. Sell the house as-is to a cash buyer and pay off the mortgage at closing, often within one to two weeks.
Maryland’s judicial foreclosure process moves through the courts, which gives homeowners more time than in some states, but that time still runs out. Our foreclosure prevention resources walk through each option in more detail.
How Does Selling Your House for Cash Stop a Maryland Foreclosure?
A cash sale is often the fastest way to get out from under a mortgage you can no longer afford, especially once a sale date has been scheduled. Here’s how the process typically works with Byrd and Co:
- Reach out. Tell us about your Maryland property and where things stand with your lender.
- Get a no-obligation cash offer. We evaluate the home as-is, no repairs and no showings required.
- Review the numbers. We show you exactly how much goes to your mortgage payoff and what you walk away with.
- Close on your timeline. We can close in as little as one to two weeks, often well before a scheduled foreclosure sale.
We’ve also covered what happens when a Maryland house is already in active foreclosure, and how rising filings are affecting other states we serve, if you want the fuller picture.
If someone you know in Maryland or Delaware is facing the same situation, our Refer and Earn program pays you $500 once their sale closes, no fees and no limit on how many people you refer. Send them our way and we’ll take it from there.
Worried about a foreclosure filing on your Maryland home? Talk to the Byrd and Co team, no pressure, just real answers. Get your no-obligation cash offer and see your numbers before you decide anything.
Frequently Asked Questions About Maryland’s 2026 Foreclosure Rate
Why is Maryland’s foreclosure rate so high in 2026?
ATTOM ranked Maryland fifth in the nation in August 2026, with one in every 2,530 housing units in foreclosure. A large share of FHA and VA-backed loans in the Baltimore-Washington corridor is one factor cited in ATTOM’s national data.
How long does a foreclosure take in Maryland?
Maryland uses a judicial foreclosure process, which runs through the courts and can take several months. Nationally, ATTOM’s Q2 2026 data put the average foreclosure timeline at 563 days, the shortest since 2013, so timelines are moving faster than they used to.
Can I sell my Maryland house after foreclosure has started?
Yes. In most cases you can sell your home right up until the auction date, and selling for cash is often the fastest way to pay off the loan and avoid the foreclosure showing up on your credit history.
Will selling for cash cover what I still owe on my mortgage?
It depends on your home’s value versus your loan balance. We review your numbers with you upfront so you know exactly what the payoff looks like before you commit to anything.
How fast can Byrd and Co close on a Maryland home?
We typically close in one to two weeks, though we can move faster if a foreclosure sale date is approaching. We buy homes as-is, so there’s no need for repairs or showings.
