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Cleveland County, North Carolina Court Filings Intelligence

Live court-record analysis of property-related filings (foreclosure, probate, divorce, partition, guardianship). Data sourced direct from Cleveland County court dockets. Updated 2026-08-03. See methodology.

Investor takeaway

About Cleveland County

Cleveland County is a county located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the western Piedmont, on the southern border of the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 99,519. Its county seat is Shelby. Cleveland County comprises the Shelby-Kings Mountain, NC Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC Combined Statistical Area.

Source: Wikipedia

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At a glance

2069 property-related court filings tracked across 33 months (Aug 2020 to Jul 2026).

59 typical monthly filing volume.

0% of filings involve owners whose mailing address differs from the property address (5 of 2069 filings).

$183,205 median estimated property value across the 341 filings with property-enrichment data (16% 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 typeFilingsShare
Other 1614 78.0%
Divorce 234 11.3%
Pre-Foreclosure 128 6.2%
Probate 89 4.3%
Tax Sale 3 0.1%
Real Estate Dispute 1 0.0%

Each row is a distinct case as recorded on the county docket.

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Monthly filing activity

MonthFilingsvs prior
Aug 2020 10
Sep 2020 14 +4
Oct 2020 32 +18
Dec 2020 5 -27
Jan 2021 3 -2
Jul 2022 1 -2
Aug 2022 3 +2
Sep 2022 6 +3
Oct 2022 8 +2
Nov 2022 5 -3
Dec 2022 6 +1
Jan 2023 6 0
Feb 2023 8 +2
Mar 2023 4 -4
Apr 2023 9 +5
May 2023 10 +1
Jun 2023 7 -3
Jul 2023 5 -2
Aug 2023 8 +3
Sep 2023 4 -4
Jul 2025 52 +48
Aug 2025 168 +116
Sep 2025 187 +19
Oct 2025 196 +9
Nov 2025 134 -62
Dec 2025 162 +28
Jan 2026 134 -28
Feb 2026 158 +24
Mar 2026 128 -30
Apr 2026 137 +9
May 2026 143 +6
Jun 2026 139 -4
Jul 2026 171 +32

Each row reflects new filings entering the dataset that month, after ownership verification. Most recent month may be partial.

Geographic concentration by ZIP

Top 5 ZIPs in Cleveland County account for 0.8% of all tracked filings, showing where distressed real estate activity clusters.

ZIPCityFilingsShare
28152 Shelby 6 0.3%
28150 SHELBY 6 0.3%
28086 KINGS MOUNTAIN 3 0.1%
28114 MOORESBORO 1 0.0%
28073 Grover 1 0.0%

Based on filings with a parseable property address (1% of Cleveland County filings).

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Property value distribution

Estimated valueFilingsShare
Under $75k 35 10.3%
$75k - $150k 93 27.3%
$150k - $250k 112 32.8%
$250k - $400k 83 24.3%
$400k+ 18 5.3%

Source: third-party property enrichment (16% coverage on Cleveland County filings). Median $183,205; mean $203,524.

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Day-of-week filing pattern

DayFilingsShare
Sun 264 12.8%
Mon 488 23.7%
Tue 471 22.8%
Wed 438 21.2%
Thu 297 14.4%
Fri 87 4.2%
Sat 18 0.9%

Filings show some weekend activity, suggesting after-hours electronic filing. Computed for 2063 filings with a parseable date.

Housing stock + distress signals

Underlying housing stock and distress indicators across all 43999 Cleveland County housing units, from US Census ACS 5-year data. National reference values shown for context.

Indicator Cleveland County US average
Vacancy rate (incl. seasonal + for-sale)15.4%10.5%
Share of owner-occupied units carrying a mortgage51.8%60.8%
Pre-1940 housing stock6.8%12.3%
Single-family detached share of housing stock70.2%61.2%
Residents age 65 or older18.7%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. Cleveland County sits within the Cleveland 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$758
1-bedroom$763
2-bedroom$925
3-bedroom$1,286
4-bedroom$1,322

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 Cleveland 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)555
Year-over-year change (2024 → 2025)+8.2%
Single-family share of permits (2025)71.4%
Single-family units permitted396
Multifamily units permitted (2+ units per building)159

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

Cleveland 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.

IndicatorValuePeriod
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 1519 73.4% +13.0%
Divorce 234 11.3% -37.1%
Pre-Foreclosure 122 5.9% +70.0%
Probate 89 4.3% -33.3%
Eviction 71 3.4% -63.6%
Other 11 0.5% --
Contract 8 0.4% --

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 Feb and are lowest in Aug. The 1.8x peak-to-trough ratio suggests strong seasonal patterns — investors who time their outreach around Feb can reach more distressed homeowners.

Month Avg filings Relative
Jan 47.7
57%
Feb 83
100%
Mar 66
80%
Apr 73
88%
May 76.5
92%
Jun 73
88%
Jul 57.2
69%
Aug 47.2
57%
Sep 52.8
64%
Oct 78.7
95%
Nov 69.5
84%
Dec 57.7
70%

Average filings per calendar month across all observed years. Relative column shows each month as a percentage of the peak month (Feb), with a 1.8x peak-to-trough ratio.

ZIP code distress hotspots

Distress is geographically dispersed across 5 ZIP codes, with no single area dominating.

ZIP Area Filings Share Median value
28152 Shelby 6 0.3% $175,731
28150 Shelby 6 0.3% $156,158
28086 Kings Mountain 3 0.1% $299,200
28114 Mooresboro 1 0.0% $167,089
28073 Grover 1 0.0% --

Top 5 of 5 ZIP codes with filings.

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.

0.2%
Non-resident owners
Case type Total filings Non-resident %
Lien 1519 0.1%
Divorce 234 0.0%
Pre-Foreclosure 128 3.1%
Probate 89 0.0%
Eviction 71 0.0%
Other 11 0.0%
Contract 8 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. Probate share is declining. Low diversity — distress is dominated by one or two case types, suggesting a concentrated driver.

Case type Recent share Earlier share Shift
Lien 86.5% 71.4% +15.1pp (rising)
Divorce 8.7% 11.8% -3.1pp
Pre-Foreclosure 3.2% 6.4% -3.2pp
Eviction 1.0% 3.9% -2.9pp
Other 0.3% 0.6% -0.3pp
Contract 0.3% 0.4% -0.1pp
Tax Sale 0.0% 0.2% -0.2pp
Real Estate Dispute 0.0% 0.1% -0.1pp
Negligence 0.0% 0.1% -0.1pp
Probate 0.0% 5.1% -5.1pp (falling)
Personal Property 0.0% 0.2% -0.2pp
Child Support 0.0% 0.1% -0.1pp

Distress diversity score: 0.76 (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 $167,227. Divorce filings involve the highest-value properties (median $200,595), while Pre-Foreclosure filings trend lower (median $156,158). The largest segment (47.9%) falls in the $100K - $250K range.

$167,227
Median assessed value
$184,074
Average assessed value
380
Properties with values
Value range Properties Share
Under $100K 97 25.5%
$100K - $250K 182 47.9%
$250K - $500K 94 24.7%
$500K - $1M 7 1.8%
Value breakdown by case type
Case type Median value Avg value Properties
Lien $165,146 $178,772 291
Divorce $200,595 $232,048 36
Pre-Foreclosure $156,158 $179,576 33
Probate $169,491 $185,126 11

Based on county assessor records for 380 properties with court filings (18.4% of total filings). Values are tax-assessed amounts, not market listing prices.

Investment Opportunity Score by ZIP Code

Across 3 ZIP codes with sufficient court filing data, ZIP 28152 (Shelby) ranks highest with an investment opportunity score of 68/100, driven by high filing volume (6 cases).

68/100
Highest ZIP score
3
ZIPs scored
56
Average score
Rank ZIP Code Area Score Filings Avg Value Absentee %
#1 28152 Shelby
68
6 0%
#2 28150 Shelby
68
6 0%
#3 28086 Kings Mountain
32
3 0%
How the score is calculated

The Investment Opportunity Score combines four dimensions from verified court filing data:

  • Filing volume (35%): More filings = more potential deals in the area
  • Property value (25%): Higher assessed values = larger potential deal sizes
  • Absentee owner rate (25%): Absentee owners are more likely to sell at a discount
  • Case type diversity (15%): Multiple case types = broader opportunity set

Each dimension is normalized to a 0–100 scale across all scored ZIPs, then weighted and combined. A score of 100 means that ZIP ranks highest across all dimensions. Scores should be compared within the same county or state, not across different markets.

Based on 2069 court filings across 3 ZIP codes. ZIPs with fewer than 3 filings are excluded. Property values from county assessor records. Absentee status from property ownership verification.

Distress Capital Analysis

$69,948,125 in assessed property value is currently tied up in 380 court-filed properties. Lien filings represent the largest capital pool ($52,022,554 across 291 properties).

$70M
Total Value at Risk
380
Properties Valued
$167,227
Median Value

Capital at Risk by Filing Type

Filing Type Total Value Properties Avg Value High Equity %
Lien
$52,022,554
291 $178,772 --
Divorce
$8,353,741
36 $232,048 --
Pre-Foreclosure
$5,926,005
33 $179,576 --
Probate
$2,036,385
11 $185,126 --
Other
$543,305
3 $181,102 --
Eviction
$511,979
3 $170,660 --

Based on 380 properties with assessor valuations (18.4% of 2069 total filings). Values are county assessor estimates. Equity calculated from estimated value vs outstanding mortgage balance where available.

Market Absorption & Turnover Analysis

2,055 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 2,055 active cases.

0.0%
Absorption Rate
2,055
Active Case Backlog
Month New Filings Resolved Net Inflow Absorption
Aug 2020 9 0 +9
0.0%
Sep 2020 11 0 +11
0.0%
Oct 2020 30 0 +30
0.0%
Dec 2020 4 0 +4
0.0%
Jan 2021 3 0 +3
0.0%
Jul 2022 1 0 +1
0.0%
Aug 2022 3 0 +3
0.0%
Sep 2022 5 0 +5
0.0%
Oct 2022 8 0 +8
0.0%
Nov 2022 5 0 +5
0.0%
Dec 2022 6 0 +6
0.0%
Jan 2023 6 0 +6
0.0%
Feb 2023 8 0 +8
0.0%
Mar 2023 4 0 +4
0.0%
Apr 2023 9 0 +9
0.0%
May 2023 10 0 +10
0.0%
Jun 2023 7 0 +7
0.0%
Jul 2023 5 0 +5
0.0%
Aug 2023 8 0 +8
0.0%
Sep 2023 4 0 +4
0.0%
Jul 2025 52 0 +52
0.0%
Aug 2025 168 0 +168
0.0%
Sep 2025 187 0 +187
0.0%
Oct 2025 196 0 +196
0.0%
Nov 2025 134 0 +134
0.0%
Dec 2025 162 0 +162
0.0%
Jan 2026 134 0 +134
0.0%
Feb 2026 158 0 +158
0.0%
Mar 2026 128 0 +128
0.0%
Apr 2026 137 0 +137
0.0%
May 2026 143 0 +143
0.0%
Jun 2026 139 0 +139
0.0%
Jul 2026 171 0 +171
0.0%

Resolution by Case Type

Case Type Filed Resolved Absorption Avg Days
Lien 1498 0 0.0% n/a
Divorce 234 0 0.0% n/a
Pre-Foreclosure 121 0 0.0% n/a
Probate 82 0 0.0% n/a
Eviction 71 0 0.0% n/a
Other 32 0 0.0% n/a
Contract 8 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 2055 total filings.

Case Aging & Stall Analysis

207 cases (10.1%) have been active for over a year without resolution. 163 filings in the last <30 days represent fresh opportunities.

207
Cases stalled 1yr+
10.1%
of all filings
2,055
Total tracked
Age Total Resolved Still active Resolution rate
<30 days 163 0 163 0.0%
30-90 days 268 0 268 0.0%
3-6 months 436 0 436 0.0%
6-12 months 981 0 981 0.0%
1-2 years 61 0 61 0.0%
2+ years 146 0 146 0.0%
Resolution speed by case type
Case type Total Resolved Rate Median days
Lien 1,498 0 0.0%
Divorce 234 0 0.0%
Pre-Foreclosure 121 0 0.0%
Probate 82 0 0.0%
Eviction 71 0 0.0%
Other 10 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.

Property Value Distribution

The median property value in distressed filings is $166,197, with the largest concentration (24.2%) in the $200K–$300K range. Divorce filings have the highest median value ($192,979) while Pre-Foreclosure filings are lowest ($156,158).

$166,197
Median value
$180,363
Average value
388
Properties valued
Price range Count Share Distribution
Under $50K 62 16.0%
$50K–$100K 43 11.1%
$100K–$150K 70 18.0%
$150K–$200K 58 14.9%
$200K–$300K 94 24.2%
$300K–$500K 54 13.9%
$500K+ 7 1.8%
Value by case type
Case type Median value Average value Properties
Lien $160,457 $174,677 298
Divorce $192,979 $232,048 36
Pre-Foreclosure $156,158 $179,575 33
Probate $169,385 $169,845 12

Assessed property values from county assessor records for 388 properties (18.8% of total filings). Values reflect tax-assessed amounts, not market price.

Repeat litigation patterns in Cleveland County

Of 1,852 unique property owners in court filings, 115 (6.2%) appear in multiple cases, including 24 with 3 or more filings. The most active repeat filer has 9 cases. Pre-Foreclosure cases have the highest repeat rate at 14.1%.

1,852
Unique owners
115
Repeat filers (2+ cases)
6.2%
Repeat rate
24
Serial filers (3+ cases)

Repeat rate by case type

Case type Repeat owners Total owners Repeat rate
Lien 110 1351 8.1%
Pre-Foreclosure 11 78 14.1%
Eviction 2 70 2.9%
Other 2 32 6.2%

Analysis based on 1,852 unique owner names across court filings. Repeat filers are property owners appearing in 2 or more distinct cases.

Serial distressed properties in Cleveland County

Of 244 unique properties in court filings, 18 (7.4%) have multiple filings (averaging 2.2 filings per property). Average time between repeat filings: 5 months. Lien properties have the highest repeat rate at 9.4%.

244
Unique properties
18
Repeat-filing properties
7.4%
Serial distress rate
5 mo
Avg time between filings

Serial distress rate by case type

Case type Serial properties Total properties Serial rate
Lien 17 180 9.4%
Pre-Foreclosure 2 29 6.9%

Analysis based on 244 unique property addresses across court filings. Serial distressed properties have 2 or more distinct case filings at the same address.

Methodology and data sources

Related North Carolina guides

North Carolina foreclosure process How to find leads in North Carolina Top foreclosure counties in North Carolina North Carolina statewide analysis

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Cite: Keystone Court Data, "Cleveland County North Carolina Court Filings Intelligence," 2026-08-03, https://keystonecourtdata.com/reports/cleveland-nc-court-filings-intelligence · Download data (CSV)