{"id":8434,"date":"2015-10-09T13:19:19","date_gmt":"2015-10-09T13:19:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/?p=8434"},"modified":"2015-10-09T13:19:19","modified_gmt":"2015-10-09T13:19:19","slug":"zombie-homes-spook-fewer-neighborhoods","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/zombie-homes-spook-fewer-neighborhoods\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Zombie\u2019 Homes Spook Fewer Neighborhoods"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u2018Zombie\u2019 Homes Spook Fewer Neighborhoods<\/h2>\n
\"\u2018Zombie\u2019<\/a>

\u2018Zombie\u2019 Homes Spook Fewer Neighborhoods. Image courtesy of Simon Howden \/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net<\/p><\/div>\n

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Vacant foreclosures \u2013 known as \u201czombies\u201d \u2013 plunged 43 percent in the third quarter compared to a year ago, according to RealtyTrac\u2019s latest U.S. Zombie Foreclosure and Vacant Property Report. As of the end of the third quarter, about 20,050 residential properties were in the foreclosure process and vacant, but had not yet been repossessed by the foreclosing lender.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe overall inventory of homes in the foreclosure process has dropped 36 percent over the past year so it\u2019s not too surprising to see a similarly dramatic drop in vacant zombie foreclosures,\u201d says Daren Blomquist, vice president at RealtyTrac. \u201cWhat is surprising is there are so many vacant homes where the home owners do not appear to be in financial distress \u2014 with only 3 percent in foreclosure or bank owned, and only 6 percent that are underwater. More than 63 percent of these vacant homes are not even encumbered by a loan, owned free and clear by the owner. The fact that the home owners are not selling given the recovering real estate market in most areas indicates that many of these properties are in poor condition and in neighborhoods that have been left behind by the housing recovery.\u201d<\/p>\n

The following states are still haunted with the most vacant \u201czombie\u201d foreclosures, according to RealtyTrac\u2019s report:<\/p>\n