01How it is defined in LeadCounty
The county shows a foreclosure case.
02How many are on the list today
In foreclosure is on file in 86 of 99 counties this week. The most are in Wayne County (Detroit), MI (17,276), St. Louis County, MO (5,458), Cuyahoga County (Cleveland), OH (4,881); the typical county has 340.
| County | On the list |
|---|---|
| Wayne County (Detroit), MI | 17,276 |
| St. Louis County, MO | 5,458 |
| Cuyahoga County (Cleveland), OH | 4,881 |
| Harris County (Houston), TX | 4,583 |
| Hillsborough County (Tampa), FL | 3,401 |
| Macomb County (Warren), MI | 3,020 |
| Cook County (Chicago), IL | 2,226 |
| Oklahoma County (Oklahoma City), OK | 1,658 |
| Duval County (Jacksonville), FL | 1,622 |
| Dallas County, TX | 1,537 |
| Brevard County, FL | 1,534 |
| Prince George's County, MD | 1,467 |
03Why it matters
The owner has a deadline. Selling before the sale can protect their credit and whatever equity is left.
04Where it shows up in public records
Foreclosure cases are filed in court in judicial states; in other states a notice of default or trustee's sale is recorded or published.
05How to find in foreclosure in 3 steps
- Step 1, find the record: foreclosure cases are filed in court in judicial states; in other states a notice of default or trustee's sale is recorded or published.
- 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 in foreclosure 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 in foreclosure 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
- The earlier you reach out, the more options the owner has.
- Stack with high equity: owners with equity gain the most from selling on their own terms.
- Follow your state's foreclosure-rescue rules.
08Best stacks with in foreclosure
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 in foreclosure:
- In foreclosure + high equity: the owner still has equity to protect, so a fair sale works for both sides.
- In foreclosure + owned 15+ years: 15+ years of ownership usually means paid-down debt and real equity.
