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Bankruptcy

The owner is in bankruptcy. Bankruptcy changes what an owner can do with the property; a sale may need the trustee's or the court's approval, but it can also be part of the way out. LeadCounty counts bankruptcy in every county it covers and refreshes the counts weekly.

See these owners free for 7 days
In this guide
  1. How it is defined in LeadCounty
  2. How many are on the list today
  3. Why it matters
  4. Where it shows up in public records
  5. How to find bankruptcy in 3 steps
  6. How we count it

01How it is defined in LeadCounty

The owner is in bankruptcy.

02How many are on the list today

Bankruptcy is on file in 15 of 99 counties this week. The most are in Dallas County, TX (9,524), Arapahoe County (Aurora), CO (2,308), Lorain County, OH (203); the typical county has 42.

12,555properties are on the “Bankruptcy” list across 15 counties today
Weeklyrefreshed from the county offices
Bankruptcy: owners on the list in each county this week. Largest first.
CountyOn the list
Dallas County, TX9,524
Arapahoe County (Aurora), CO2,308
Lorain County, OH203
Tarrant County (Fort Worth), TX131
Fort Bend County, TX81
Travis County (Austin), TX71
Trumbull County, OH56
Licking County, OH42
Union County, OH36
Denton County, TX33
Greene County, OH33
Collin County (Plano), TX16
Counted from each county's own records at the weekly refresh; 84 counties publish no records for this list. Totals only: the owners are in the app.

03Why it matters

Bankruptcy changes what an owner can do with the property; a sale may need the trustee's or the court's approval, but it can also be part of the way out.

04Where it shows up in public records

Federal bankruptcy filings (PACER) and county records that note them.

05How to find bankruptcy in 3 steps

  • Step 1, find the record: federal bankruptcy filings (PACER) and county records that note them.
  • Step 2, match it to the property: join the record to the parcel by its parcel number and the owner's name and address, so you know which house it belongs to.
  • Step 3, add a second reason: stack bankruptcy with another list to see which owners have more than one reason to sell. LeadCounty does steps 1 and 2 for every property each week.

06How we count it

LeadCounty counts bankruptcy from each county's own records and shows the number for every county in the table above, refreshed weekly. A county that does not publish the record shows no count rather than a guess.

07How to use it

  • Work with the owner's attorney or the trustee; never pressure the owner directly.

08Best stacks with bankruptcy

One list gives you a reason; two or three lists together give you owners with several reasons at once. The stacks that work best with bankruptcy:

  • Bankruptcy + high equity: the owner still has equity to protect, so a fair sale works for both sides.
LeadCounty editorial and data team

We collect official county, court and city records every week and turn them into scored, explained property research for investors and agents. Every guide is based on how these public records actually work.

How we make these guides. We write from official offices and statutes, name the source of each number and fix mistakes when you tell us. See our editorial standards and methodology. What changed: the counts and examples are refreshed weekly.

Related signals

foreclosure notice documents house keys

In foreclosure

A property with an open foreclosure case: a lender (or the county, for unpaid tax) has started the legal process to sell it.What it means →tax delinquent house unpaid property tax

Tax delinquent

A property whose owner has not paid at least one property-tax bill by its due date, or that the county has formally listed as delinquent.What it means →florida house tax deed palm trees

Tax lien

A tax lien (or tax certificate) is a claim the county sells to an investor for the unpaid tax. The owner must pay it back with interest or risk losing the property.What it means →
A letter for bankruptcy ownersFor tax delinquent owners

Dear [first name],

The county records show unpaid property tax on [property address]. If the tax bill has become a burden, you have options, and selling before penalties grow is one of them.

I buy houses as-is and can pay off the back taxes at closing, so you walk away with cash instead of a growing bill.

Send it in the app

The app fills in each owner's name and address and prints envelopes or labels.

Run the numbersSeller net sheet: cash offer vs listingWhat the seller really keeps: your cash offer vs listing with an agentPrice − payoff − costs = netOpen the calculator →

Where bankruptcy is highest

Dallas County, TX (9,524)Arapahoe County (Aurora), CO (2,308)Lorain County, OH (203)

Lists that stack well with it

What high equity means

Glossary

List stackingMotivated seller

Questions

What does bankruptcy mean?

The owner is in bankruptcy.

Why does bankruptcy matter to investors?

Bankruptcy changes what an owner can do with the property; a sale may need the trustee's or the court's approval, but it can also be part of the way out.

Where does bankruptcy show up in public records?

Federal bankruptcy filings (PACER) and county records that note them.