Clay County, North Carolina Court Filings Intelligence
Live court-record analysis of property-related filings (foreclosure, probate, divorce, partition, guardianship). Data sourced direct from Clay County court dockets. Updated 2026-08-03. See methodology.
- Filing volume accelerating (+25.0%) — last 3 complete months (70 filings) vs prior 3 complete months (56 filings). Excludes the current calendar month (in progress).
- Max gross cap rate 9.5% at HUD Fair Market Rent — $12,468/year (2BR FMR × 12) on the $131,550 median estimated market value. Section-8-eligible rent ceiling; real-market rent typically exceeds FMR; excludes operating costs (taxes, insurance, maintenance, vacancy, management).
- 72.0% of filings are Lien — the dominant lead category in Clay County during the observed window.
About Clay County
Clay County is a county located in the far western part of U.S. state North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the county population was 11,089. The county seat is Hayesville.
Source: Wikipedia
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215 verified property-related court filings tracked across 13 months (Jul 2025 to Jul 2026).
0% of filings involve owners whose mailing address differs from the property address (0 of 215 filings).
$131,550 median estimated property value across the 46 filings with property-enrichment data (21% coverage).
3.5% North Carolina unemployment rate (BLS, as of 2026-05). Filings should be read against the local-economy backdrop.
Filing type breakdown
| Filing type | Filings | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other | 169 | 78.6% | |
| Divorce | 39 | 18.1% | |
| Tax Sale | 6 | 2.8% | |
| Pre-Foreclosure | 1 | 0.5% |
Each row is a distinct case verified for current owner-of-record before inclusion.
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Monthly filing activity
| Month | Filings | vs prior | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 2025 | 2 | ||
| Aug 2025 | 11 | +9 | |
| Sep 2025 | 12 | +1 | |
| Oct 2025 | 15 | +3 | |
| Nov 2025 | 12 | -3 | |
| Dec 2025 | 24 | +12 | |
| Jan 2026 | 10 | -14 | |
| Feb 2026 | 18 | +8 | |
| Mar 2026 | 21 | +3 | |
| Apr 2026 | 17 | -4 | |
| May 2026 | 20 | +3 | |
| Jun 2026 | 28 | +8 | |
| Jul 2026 | 22 | -6 |
Each row reflects new filings entering the dataset that month, after ownership verification. Most recent month may be partial.
Geographic concentration by ZIP
Top 1 ZIPs in Clay County account for 1.4% of all tracked filings, showing where distressed real estate activity clusters.
| ZIP | City | Filings | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28904 | 3 | 1.4% |
Based on filings with a parseable property address (1% of Clay County filings).
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Property value distribution
| Estimated value | Filings | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $75k | 8 | 17.4% | |
| $75k - $150k | 20 | 43.5% | |
| $150k - $250k | 12 | 26.1% | |
| $250k - $400k | 5 | 10.9% | |
| $400k+ | 1 | 2.2% |
Source: third-party property enrichment (21% coverage on Clay County filings). Median $131,550; mean $152,282.
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Day-of-week filing pattern
| Day | Filings | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 19 | 9.0% | |
| Mon | 43 | 20.3% | |
| Tue | 65 | 30.7% | |
| Wed | 47 | 22.2% | |
| Thu | 34 | 16.0% | |
| Fri | 4 | 1.9% | |
| Sat | 0 | 0.0% |
Filings show some weekend activity, suggesting after-hours electronic filing. Computed for 212 filings with a parseable date.
Housing stock + distress signals
Underlying housing stock and distress indicators across all 7410 Clay County housing units, from US Census ACS 5-year data. National reference values shown for context.
| Indicator | Clay County | US average |
|---|---|---|
| Vacancy rate (incl. seasonal + for-sale) | 32.0% | 10.5% |
| Share of owner-occupied units carrying a mortgage | 48.2% | 60.8% |
| Pre-1940 housing stock | 3.9% | 12.3% |
| Single-family detached share of housing stock | 81.2% | 61.2% |
| Residents age 65 or older | 32.3% | 17.3% |
Source: US Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS 2023 5-year). National reference values are ACS 2022 5-year US totals. Why these matter: vacancy rate is the strongest single proxy for distressed inventory; mortgage-carrying share defines the risk pool exposed to rate environment; pre-1940 stock signals deferred maintenance and renovation opportunity; senior population correlates with probate pipeline depth.
Rent benchmark (HUD Fair Market Rent)
HUD sets Fair Market Rents at the metro area level — the same FMRs apply to every county within the metro. Clay County sits within the Clay County, NC. Used to set Section 8 voucher amounts; investors use it as a defensible rent-estimate floor for buy-to-rent underwriting.
| Unit size | Fair market rent / month |
|---|---|
| Efficiency / studio | $878 |
| 1-bedroom | $948 |
| 2-bedroom | $1,039 |
| 3-bedroom | $1,429 |
| 4-bedroom | $1,561 |
Source: US Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rents (None). 40th-percentile gross rent including utilities. Why this matters: Section-8-eligible tenants are a baseline demand floor for rental inventory at these price points; FMR is the official ceiling for voucher-eligible rents.
New construction (market momentum)
Annual building permits filed in Clay County from the US Census Building Permits Survey. Trend signal on whether new housing demand is accelerating or contracting in this market.
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Total housing units permitted (2025) | 108 |
| Year-over-year change (2024 → 2025) | -24.5% |
| Single-family share of permits (2025) | 100.0% |
| Single-family units permitted | 108 |
| Multifamily units permitted (2+ units per building) | 0 |
Source: US Census Bureau Building Permits Survey, annual cumulative data. Why this matters: permits trending up signals strong demand for new inventory; permits contracting at the same time foreclosure activity rises indicates broader market softening (deals price differently). Multifamily share shows whether the market is densifying or holding to single-family stock.
Macro context: state home prices and national delinquency
Clay County filings should be read against the broader housing-market backdrop. North Carolina state home-price trend and the national mortgage-delinquency rate are the two macro signals most directly relevant to foreclosure exposure.
| Indicator | Value | Period |
|---|---|---|
| North Carolina home price index (year-over-year) | +2.4% | 2026-01-01 |
| North Carolina home price index (cumulative since 2020) | +72.0% | 2026-01-01 |
| National mortgage delinquency rate (30+ day, single-family) | 1.89% | 2026-01-01 |
Sources: Federal Housing Finance Agency state house price indices (FRED series NCSTHPI); Federal Reserve Board, Mortgage Delinquency 30+Day Rate on Single-Family Residential Mortgages (FRED series DRSFRMACBS). Updated quarterly. Free public data.
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Filing velocity by case type
How each distress category is trending — are foreclosures accelerating while divorces cool, or vice versa? This breakdown is only possible with direct court-record data.
| Case type | Total | Share | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lien | 154 | 71.6% | +45.9% |
| Divorce | 39 | 18.1% | +22.2% |
| Other | 8 | 3.7% | -60.0% |
Trend = recent 2-3 month volume vs prior 2-3 months (current partial month excluded). Positive = accelerating; negative = cooling.
Seasonal filing patterns
Court filings peak in Jun and are lowest in Jan. The 2.8x peak-to-trough ratio suggests strong seasonal patterns — investors who time their outreach around Jun can reach more distressed homeowners.
| Month | Avg filings | Relative |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 10 | 36% |
| Feb | 18 | 64% |
| Mar | 21 | 75% |
| Apr | 17 | 61% |
| May | 20 | 71% |
| Jun | 28 | 100% |
| Jul | 12 | 43% |
| Aug | 11 | 39% |
| Sep | 12 | 43% |
| Oct | 15 | 54% |
| Nov | 12 | 43% |
| Dec | 24 | 86% |
Average filings per calendar month across all observed years. Relative column shows each month as a percentage of the peak month (Jun), with a 2.8x peak-to-trough ratio.
Non-resident owner analysis
Most filings (100%) involve owner-occupied properties. The relatively low absentee rate suggests distress is primarily hitting homeowners, not institutional investors.
| Case type | Total filings | Non-resident % |
|---|---|---|
| Lien | 154 | 0.0% |
| Divorce | 39 | 0.0% |
| Other | 8 | 0.0% |
| Tax Sale | 6 | 0.0% |
Non-resident = owner's mailing address differs from the property address. Could indicate out-of-state landlords, inherited estates, second homes, or in-transition properties.
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Distress composition and shifts
Lien share is rising. Low diversity — distress is dominated by one or two case types, suggesting a concentrated driver.
| Case type | Recent share | Earlier share | Shift |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lien | 78.0% | 71.0% | +7.0pp (rising) |
| Divorce | 18.0% | 18.5% | -0.5pp |
| Tax Sale | 2.0% | 1.2% | +0.8pp |
| Eviction | 2.0% | 1.9% | +0.1pp |
| Contract | 0.0% | 1.9% | -1.9pp |
| Pre-Foreclosure | 0.0% | 0.6% | -0.6pp |
| Other | 0.0% | 4.9% | -4.9pp |
Distress diversity score: 0.95 (Shannon entropy; higher = more diverse distress sources). "Recent" = last 2 complete months; "Earlier" = all prior months.
Property Value Profile
The median assessed value of properties in court filings is $124,160. Divorce filings involve the highest-value properties (median $238,200), while Lien filings trend lower (median $113,620). The largest segment (52.9%) falls in the $100K - $250K range.
| Value range | Properties | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Under $100K | 18 | 35.3% |
| $100K - $250K | 27 | 52.9% |
| $250K - $500K | 6 | 11.8% |
Value breakdown by case type
| Case type | Median value | Avg value | Properties |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lien | $113,620 | $129,847 | 42 |
| Divorce | $238,200 | $215,933 | 6 |
Based on county assessor records for 51 properties with court filings (23.7% of total filings). Values are tax-assessed amounts, not market listing prices.
Distress Capital Analysis
$7,082,680 in assessed property value is currently tied up in 51 court-filed properties. Lien filings represent the largest capital pool ($5,453,580 across 42 properties).
Capital at Risk by Filing Type
| Filing Type | Total Value | Properties | Avg Value | High Equity % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lien | $5,453,580 | 42 | $129,847 | -- |
| Divorce | $1,295,600 | 6 | $215,933 | -- |
Based on 51 properties with assessor valuations (23.7% of 215 total filings). Values are county assessor estimates. Equity calculated from estimated value vs outstanding mortgage balance where available.
Market Absorption & Turnover Analysis
212 court filings tracked with 0 resolved (0.0% absorption rate). The court system is accumulating cases faster than they resolve, creating a growing backlog of 212 active cases.
| Month | New Filings | Resolved | Net | Inflow | Absorption |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 2025 | 2 | 0 | +2 | 0.0% | |
| Aug 2025 | 11 | 0 | +11 | 0.0% | |
| Sep 2025 | 12 | 0 | +12 | 0.0% | |
| Oct 2025 | 15 | 0 | +15 | 0.0% | |
| Nov 2025 | 12 | 0 | +12 | 0.0% | |
| Dec 2025 | 24 | 0 | +24 | 0.0% | |
| Jan 2026 | 10 | 0 | +10 | 0.0% | |
| Feb 2026 | 18 | 0 | +18 | 0.0% | |
| Mar 2026 | 21 | 0 | +21 | 0.0% | |
| Apr 2026 | 17 | 0 | +17 | 0.0% | |
| May 2026 | 20 | 0 | +20 | 0.0% | |
| Jun 2026 | 28 | 0 | +28 | 0.0% | |
| Jul 2026 | 22 | 0 | +22 | 0.0% |
Resolution by Case Type
| Case Type | Filed | Resolved | Absorption | Avg Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lien | 152 | 0 | 0.0% | n/a |
| Divorce | 39 | 0 | 0.0% | n/a |
| Other | 10 | 0 | 0.0% | n/a |
Absorption rate measures the percentage of filed cases that have reached a terminal resolution (judgment, dismissal, settlement, or sale). A low absorption rate indicates a growing backlog of active cases in the court system. Resolution timing based on 0 resolved cases out of 212 total filings.
Case Aging & Stall Analysis
3 cases (1.4%) have been active for over a year without resolution. 20 filings in the last <30 days represent fresh opportunities.
| Age | Total | Resolved | Still active | Resolution rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| <30 days | 20 | 0 | 20 | 0.0% |
| 30-90 days | 46 | 0 | 46 | 0.0% |
| 3-6 months | 57 | 0 | 57 | 0.0% |
| 6-12 months | 86 | 0 | 86 | 0.0% |
| 1-2 years | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0.0% |
Resolution speed by case type
| Case type | Total | Resolved | Rate | Median days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lien | 152 | 0 | 0.0% | — |
| Divorce | 39 | 0 | 0.0% | — |
Case aging computed from filing date to present for unresolved cases. Resolution classified from court docket entries (judgments, settlements, dismissals, sheriff sales). Cases with a resolution event are removed from the stall count.
Quarterly Filing Volume Trends
Filing trends across 4 comparable quarters show 190 tracked filings in Clay County. Most recent quarter (2026 Q2: 65) was rising vs prior (2026 Q1: 49, +32.7%). Lien shows the largest composition shift, declining share from 76.3% to 71.9%.
| Quarter | Total | Lien | Divorce | Eviction | Contract |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 25 | 22 (88.0%) | 3 (12.0%) | — | — |
| 2025 Q4 | 51 | 36 (70.6%) | 12 (23.5%) | 1 (2.0%) | 1 (2.0%) |
| 2026 Q1 | 49 | 31 (63.3%) | 10 (20.4%) | 1 (2.0%) | — |
| 2026 Q2 | 65 | 51 (78.5%) | 8 (12.3%) | 1 (1.5%) | 2 (3.1%) |
Composition shift: Lien filings are declining share, moving from 76.3% to 71.9% of total filings (-4.4 percentage points).
Only comparable quarters shown (collection ramp-up periods excluded). Filing dates from verified court records. Current partial quarter excluded from trend calculations.
Property Value Distribution
The median property value in distressed filings is $124,160, with the largest concentration (29.4%) in the $100K–$150K range.
| Price range | Count | Share | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $50K | 7 | 13.7% | |
| $50K–$100K | 11 | 21.6% | |
| $100K–$150K | 15 | 29.4% | |
| $150K–$200K | 8 | 15.7% | |
| $200K–$300K | 7 | 13.7% | |
| $300K–$500K | 3 | 5.9% |
Value by case type
| Case type | Median value | Average value | Properties |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lien | $113,210 | $129,847 | 42 |
Assessed property values from county assessor records for 51 properties (23.7% of total filings). Values reflect tax-assessed amounts, not market price.
Repeat litigation patterns in Clay County
Of 198 unique property owners in court filings, 12 (6.1%) appear in multiple cases, including 2 with 3 or more filings. The most active repeat filer has 3 cases spanning 3 months. Lien cases have the highest repeat rate at 7.9%.
Repeat rate by case type
| Case type | Repeat owners | Total owners | Repeat rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lien | 11 | 140 | 7.9% |
Analysis based on 198 unique owner names across court filings. Repeat filers are property owners appearing in 2 or more distinct cases.
Methodology and data sources
- Court filings are collected directly from Clay County court records, which are public information.
- Every filing in this dataset has been verified for current owner-of-record. Entity-owned filings (LLCs, trusts, banks) and properties where the named party is not the current owner are excluded.
- Property value figures come from third-party enrichment (21% coverage on this dataset).
- Individual case data, defendant names, and property addresses are not published. Reports show aggregated statistics only.
- The methodology page at /reports/methodology documents data sources, sample sizes, and known limitations in detail.
- This report was generated 2026-08-03 from the live database. Numbers reflect the dataset at that moment.
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Cite: Keystone Court Data, "Clay County North Carolina Court Filings Intelligence," 2026-08-03, https://keystonecourtdata.com/reports/clay-nc-court-filings-intelligence · Download data (CSV)