Indiana has the nation's highest vacancy rate among investor-owned residential properties that were either being rented or flipped for a profit.

The Hoosier state has a 7.2% investor-owned residential vacancy rate due to a rise in so-called zombie foreclosures, where investors looking to fix up and rent out a home abandon the property after getting a foreclosure notice, according to a report by the property and real estate analytics firm ATTOM. Illinois ranked second nationally with a 6.1% vacancy rate among homes owned by investors looking for rental income or a quick sale, as distinguished from owner-occupied homes.

“Vacant and zombie homes can hurt the value of surrounding properties and start a negative spiral in a local housing market,” said Rob Barber, CEO of ATTOM. “While we’ve se

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