Distressed Property Inventory Remains Low

According to REIN data for April 2026, the number of residential properties actively for sale across the region is up slightly from the same month last year. Of that total, 175 were REO and Short Sale properties, accounting for 3.97% of all active listings. That’s up by 37 total listings compared to April 2025 when there were 138 REO and Short Sales listings, amounting to 3.35% of the total.

Several national stories report that across the nation, foreclosures are surging, with one news story reporting foreclosures are at a six-year high. In March, the property data company ATTOM released a look at foreclosure rates by state. South Carolina’s rate topped the list, with Virginia listed as 33rd with 648 total filings during that month - an increase of 8.36% compared to March 2024.

April’s percentage of REO and Short Sales that were actively listed was actually the lowest percentage since July 2025 in the region. It was 5.22% in January, which was the highest in the past couple of years.

As for sales, during April there were 15 short sales and 38 REO properties sold, accounting for 2.72% of all sales. That’s up compared to April 2025, when there were 11 short sales and 28 REO properties sold, which accounted for 1.95% of the total.

Reprint from REIN MLS