Marion County Foreclosures Are Climbing, New Report Finds
Published by Cash Flow Deals · Last updated 2026-08-05
The Fair Housing Center of Central Indiana reported Marion County foreclosure filings jumped 24% in 2023, from 1,236 to 1,534, with another 958 filings logged in just the first seven months of 2024. Indiana ranked fourth nationally for foreclosure rate that November. Crown Hill, Far Eastside, and Martindale-Brightwood, historically Black neighborhoods, carried the heaviest rates.
| Factor | Traditional Listing | Cash Flow Deals |
|---|---|---|
| Exposure to rising property tax and insurance costs while the house sits on market | Weeks to months of carrying those costs during showings | Net price locked up front, so carrying costs stop mattering to the payout |
| Certainty of closing | Buyer financing can fall through mid-contract | Buyer's lender funds the deal; title transfers once, seller to buyer |
| Repair negotiation | Renegotiation after inspection is common and can shrink net proceeds late | Repairs are scoped after the net price is already locked |
What the Fair Housing Center's report found
The Fair Housing Center of Central Indiana (FHCCI) published a report in December 2024 showing Marion County foreclosure filings rose from 1,236 in 2022 to 1,534 in 2023, a 24% jump. The first seven months of 2024 alone added another 958 filings. For context, the county saw 1,609 filings in 2018 before dropping to just 513 in 2021 during pandemic-era forbearance programs. Indiana ranked fourth highest in the nation for foreclosure rate as of November 2024, according to the report, cited by The Indiana Lawyer's Daniel Carson.
Why the increase is landing hardest on Black neighborhoods
FHCCI's data showed the county's highest foreclosure rates concentrated in Crown Hill, Far Eastside, Meadows, and Martindale-Brightwood, all historically Black neighborhoods. FHCCI executive director Amy Nelson pointed to a new pressure layered on top of the usual ones: "With the insurance issue, the dramatic amount of (premium) jumps is new." Indianapolis-metro property taxes rose 67% since 2019, pushing the median payment to $205 a month, while the share of cost-burdened new Indiana homeowners more than doubled, from 7.7% in 2017 to 16.5% in 2022.
What pandemic-era buyers got caught in
Many of the homeowners now showing up in these filings bought during the low-rate window of 2020 and 2021, stretching their budgets on the assumption they'd refinance later. Rates never came back down enough to make that work. Indiana ran a Homeowner Assistance Fund program to help pandemic-era borrowers catch up on missed payments, but that program was always temporary, and the pressure from property taxes, insurance, and repair costs didn't go away when it wound down.
The choice a Marion County homeowner has before a filing turns into a sale
"We wanted to raise awareness that these numbers are picking up," Nelson said, and that awareness only helps if a homeowner acts on it before a sheriff's sale date is set. A traditional listing means carrying property tax and insurance costs through an uncertain sale window. A seller who wants that number locked before repairs get scoped can request a net-price offer from a real estate investment company, then decide on their own timeline whether that beats riding out a listing.
Common questions
How much did Marion County foreclosure filings rise in 2023?
Filings rose 24%, from 1,236 in 2022 to 1,534 in 2023, according to the Fair Housing Center of Central Indiana's December 2024 report.
Which Marion County neighborhoods have the highest foreclosure rates?
Crown Hill, Far Eastside, Meadows, and Martindale-Brightwood, all historically Black neighborhoods, according to FHCCI's report.
Why are foreclosure filings rising even for homeowners who never missed a payment increase?
FHCCI's Amy Nelson pointed to a new factor: homeowner insurance premium jumps, layered on top of Indianapolis-metro property taxes that rose 67% since 2019.
How did Indiana rank nationally for foreclosures as of late 2024?
Indiana ranked fourth highest in the country for foreclosure rate in November 2024, according to the FHCCI report covered by The Indiana Lawyer.
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What this means for your options
Rising foreclosure filings mean more distressed inventory competing for the same buyers. The homes that sell fastest are the ones priced and positioned before that competition grows.
Wait and see
Keep the property as-is and hope conditions improve. The mortgage, insurance, and upkeep keep costing money while you wait, with no set date for things to turn around.
List with a traditional agent
Standard MLS listing, typically 5-6% in commission, and a financed buyer whose deal depends on appraisal, inspection, and lender approval — any of which can fall through after weeks on market.
Sell to Cash Flow Deals
No repairs, no showings, no financing contingency on your side — our novation structure connects you with a bank-financed buyer at a price locked at signing. A no-obligation offer, usually within one business day.
See your no-obligation cash offer before you decide anything.