Porter County, Indiana Court Filings Intelligence
Analysis of property-related court filings (foreclosure, probate, divorce, partition, guardianship) in Porter County. See methodology.
Based on public court filings, analyzed by Keystone. As of October 2026.
- 30.5% off-site owners: the share of filings where the owner's mailing address differs from the property address. Could be out-of-state landlords, inherited estates, second homes, or in-transition properties (we don't distinguish; the underlying signal is "not living there").
- Max gross cap rate 6.0% at HUD Fair Market Rent ($15,804/year, 2BR FMR × 12) on the $262,500 median estimated market value. Section-8-eligible rent ceiling; real-market rent typically exceeds FMR; excludes operating costs (taxes, insurance, maintenance, vacancy, management).
- 41.5% of filings are Divorce, the dominant lead category in Porter County during the observed window.
About Porter County
Porter County is a county in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2020, the population was 173,215, making it the 10th most populous county in Indiana. The county seat is Valparaiso. The county is part of Northwest Indiana, as well as the Chicago metropolitan area. Porter County is the site of much of the Indiana Dunes, an area of ecological significance. The Hour Glass Museum in Ogden Dunes documents the region's ecological significance.
Source: Wikipedia
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31% of filings with a known owner mailing address involve owners whose mailing address differs from the property address.
$262,500 median estimated property value across filings with property-value data.
3.6% Indiana unemployment rate (BLS, as of 2026-08). Filings should be read against the local-economy backdrop.
Filing type breakdown
| Filing type | Share | |
|---|---|---|
| Divorce | 41.5% | |
| Probate | 24.3% | |
| Pre-Foreclosure | 13.9% | |
| Guardianship | 11.8% | |
| Other | 8.4% |
Each row is a distinct case as recorded on the county docket.
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Geographic concentration by ZIP
The ZIP codes in Porter County with the most property-related court filings, in rank order: where distressed real estate activity clusters.
| Rank | ZIP | City |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 46385 | Valparaiso |
| 2 | 46368 | PORTAGE |
| 3 | 46383 | VALPARAISO |
| 4 | 46304 | CHESTERTON |
| 5 | 46341 | HEBRON |
| 6 | 46347 | Kouts |
| 7 | 46307 | CROWN POINT |
| 8 | 46391 | Westville |
| 9 | 46360 | MICHIGAN CITY |
| 10 | 46342 | HOBART |
Based on filings with a parseable property address.
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Property value distribution
| Estimated value | Share | |
|---|---|---|
| Under $75k | 1.3% | |
| $75k - $150k | 9.8% | |
| $150k - $250k | 34.6% | |
| $250k - $400k | 34.5% | |
| $400k+ | 19.7% |
Source: property records. Median $262,500; mean $303,355.
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Building characteristics
Per-property details from third-party property enrichment, aggregated across filings with characteristic data:
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1979 |
| Median living area | 1,872 sqft |
| Median lot size | 0.32 acres |
| Owner-occupied (at time of enrichment) | 0.0% |
Housing stock + distress signals
Underlying housing stock and distress indicators across all 72102 Porter County housing units, from US Census ACS 5-year data. National reference values shown for context.
| Indicator | Porter County | US average |
|---|---|---|
| Vacancy rate (incl. seasonal + for-sale) | 5.6% | 10.5% |
| Share of owner-occupied units carrying a mortgage | 67.4% | 60.8% |
| Pre-1940 housing stock | 8.6% | 12.3% |
| Single-family detached share of housing stock | 74.8% | 61.2% |
| Residents age 65 or older | 17.7% | 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, so the same FMRs apply to every county within the metro. Porter County sits within the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN (FY 2026). 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 | $959 |
| 1-bedroom | $1,082 |
| 2-bedroom | $1,317 |
| 3-bedroom | $1,612 |
| 4-bedroom | $1,744 |
Source: US Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rents (2026). 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 Porter 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) | 564 |
| Year-over-year change (2024 → 2025) | +1.4% |
| Single-family share of permits (2025) | 100.0% |
| Single-family units permitted | 564 |
| 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
Porter County filings should be read against the broader housing-market backdrop. Indiana state home-price trend and the national mortgage-delinquency rate are the two macro signals most directly relevant to foreclosure exposure.
| Indicator | Value | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Indiana home price index (year-over-year) | +4.6% | 2026-04-01 |
| Indiana home price index (cumulative since 2020) | +67.6% | 2026-04-01 |
| National mortgage delinquency rate (30+ day, single-family) | 1.86% | 2026-04-01 |
Sources: Federal Housing Finance Agency state house price indices (FRED series INSTHPI); Federal Reserve Board, Mortgage Delinquency 30+Day Rate on Single-Family Residential Mortgages (FRED series DRSFRMACBS). Updated quarterly. Free public data.
Local-market benchmark
Demographics of the ZIPs where filings cluster, weighted by filing count and benchmarked against Census ACS 2023 5-year:
| Indicator | Filing-weighted average |
|---|---|
| Median household income (where filings cluster) | $84,948 |
| Median home value | $262,337 |
| Owner-occupancy rate | 77.5% |
| Renter share of households | 22.5% |
| Median gross rent | $1,148/mo |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates, weighted by Keystone's filing volume across 10 top ZIPs.
Most active foreclosure plaintiffs in Porter County
Top mortgage holders and servicers named in foreclosure complaints filed in this county. Lender names are normalized to collapse common legal-suffix variants (e.g. "as Trustee for X Trust", "N.A.").
| Rank | Plaintiff |
|---|---|
| 1 | LAKEVIEW LOAN SERVICING, LLC |
| 2 | MIDFIRST BANK |
| 3 | ROCKET MORTGAGE, LLC S/B/M NATIONSTAR MORTGAGE LLC |
| 4 | JAK ENTERPRISE, LLC D/B/A KORNACKI ROOFING AND CONTRACTING |
| 5 | SERVIS ONE, INC |
| 6 | CARRINGTON MORTGAGE SERVICES, LLC |
| 7 | US #1364 FEDERAL CREDIT UNION |
| 8 | REGIONAL FEDERAL CREDIT UNION |
| 9 | SELECT PORTFOLIO SERVICING, INC. |
| 10 | NEWREZ LLC |
Source: public foreclosure filings in Porter County. Court records are public information.
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FEMA flood zone exposure
Are distressed properties concentrated in flood-prone areas? By checking each property's coordinates against FEMA's National Flood Hazard Layer, we identify which filings fall in Special Flood Hazard Areas (mandatory flood insurance zones). This analysis covers properties with geocoded locations.
| Zone | Share |
|---|---|
| X | 96.3% |
| X-500yr | 3.0% |
| VE | 0.5% |
| A | 0.2% |
Source: FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer (NFHL), queried by property coordinates. Zones A/AE/AH/AO/V/VE are Special Flood Hazard Areas (1% annual flood chance, mandatory flood insurance). Zone X is minimal risk.
Lender concentration analysis
Foreclosure activity is spread across many lenders, suggesting diverse distress sources rather than a single institutional wave.
| Rank | Most active lenders / plaintiffs |
|---|---|
| 1 | FREEDOM MORTGAGE CORPORATION |
| 2 | MIDFIRST BANK |
| 3 | LAKEVIEW LOAN SERVICING LLC |
| 4 | PENNYMAC LOAN SERVICES LLC |
| 5 | CARRINGTON MORTGAGE SERVICES LLC |
Lenders in rank order, most active first. Market type reflects how concentrated foreclosure filings are among plaintiffs. Based on foreclosure filings with identified plaintiffs.
ZIP code distress hotspots
Distress shows moderate geographic concentration across ZIP codes. The ZIP codes below are ranked by property-related court filings, most active first.
| Rank | ZIP | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 46385 | Valparaiso |
| 2 | 46368 | Portage |
| 3 | 46383 | Valparaiso |
| 4 | 46304 | Chesterton |
| 5 | 46341 | Hebron |
| 6 | 46347 | Kouts |
| 7 | 46307 | Crown Point |
| 8 | 46391 | Westville |
| 9 | 46360 | Michigan City |
| 10 | 46342 | Hobart |
ZIP codes in rank order, most court filings first.
Non-resident owner analysis
30.5% of distressed properties have non-resident owners (the owner's mailing address differs from the property address). These are often rental or investment properties, and landlords in distress tend to be more motivated sellers.
| Case type | Non-resident % |
|---|---|
| Divorce | 29.3% |
| Pre-Foreclosure | 6.1% |
| Probate | 85.0% |
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
Distress diversity score: 1.89 (Shannon entropy across case types; higher = more diverse distress sources). The case-type shares are in the filing type breakdown above.
Motivation breakdown
Among filings with a tagged motivation, the most common is Equity Division Sale (51.9%), followed by High Urgency Pre-Foreclosure (26.9%). This motivation breakdown is captured at the court-filing stage.
| Motivation / sub-type | Share |
|---|---|
| Equity Division Sale | 51.9% |
| High Urgency Pre-Foreclosure | 26.9% |
| Inherited Property | 21.2% |
Based on filings tagged with a motivation sub-type at the court-filing stage.
Property Value Profile
The median assessed value of properties in court filings is $259,758. Divorce filings involve the highest-value properties (median $281,900), while Probate filings trend lower (median $231,997). The largest segment (44.6%) falls in the $250K - $500K range.
| Value range | Share |
|---|---|
| Under $100K | 4.1% |
| $100K - $250K | 42.3% |
| $250K - $500K | 44.6% |
| $500K - $1M | 7.9% |
| Over $1M | 1.0% |
Value breakdown by case type
| Case type | Median value | Avg value |
|---|---|---|
| Divorce | $281,900 | $321,406 |
| Probate | $231,997 | $276,107 |
| Pre-Foreclosure | $242,300 | $269,961 |
| Guardianship | $269,100 | $317,357 |
Based on public property records for properties with court filings. Values are tax-assessed amounts, not market listing prices.
Investment Opportunity Score by ZIP Code
ZIP 46385 (Valparaiso) ranks first on the composite opportunity score in Porter County. ZIP codes are listed in rank order, highest score first.
| Rank | ZIP Code | Area |
|---|---|---|
| #1 | 46385 | Valparaiso |
| #2 | 46368 | Portage |
| #3 | 46383 | Valparaiso |
| #4 | 46304 | Chesterton |
| #5 | 46347 | Kouts |
| #6 | 46341 | Hebron |
| #7 | 46307 | Crown Point |
| #8 | 46360 | Michigan City |
| #9 | 46393 | Wheeler |
| #10 | 46301 | Beverly Shores |
The score blends court-filing activity, property value, absentee-owner rate and case-type diversity. Compare ZIPs within the same county or state, not across markets.
Based on court filings by property ZIP code; ZIPs with too little data are excluded. Property values from public property records.
Property Type Distribution
79.1% of distressed properties are classified as Single Family, followed by Duplex/Multi-Family (17.1%).
| Property type | Share | Distribution |
|---|---|---|
| Single Family | 79.1% | |
| Duplex/Multi-Family | 17.1% | |
| Residential | 2.0% | |
| Agricultural | 1.1% | |
| Commercial | 0.6% | |
| Industrial | 0.1% | |
| Condo/Townhouse | 0.1% |
Property type by case type
| Case type | Dominant property type | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Divorce | Single Family | 80.7% |
| Probate | Single Family | 74.6% |
| Pre-Foreclosure | Single Family | 83.0% |
| Guardianship | Single Family | 79.7% |
| Pre-Probate | Single Family | 71.4% |
Property classifications from public property records for filings with a classified property. Categories normalized from public-record property classes.
Property Age & Distress Profile
Among filings with year-built data, the 1960–1979 construction era is most common (33%). Newer properties (2000+) average $430,907, 2.1x the value of Pre-1960 stock ($207,479).
| Construction era | Share | Avg value |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-1960 | 18.4% | $207,479 |
| 1960–1979 | 33.2% | $242,709 |
| 1980–1999 | 23.2% | $349,361 |
| 2000+ | 25.2% | $430,907 |
Value trend: Properties from the 2000+ era average $430,907, which is 2.08x the value of Pre-1960 stock ($207,479).
Top case types by construction era
Construction year sourced from public property records. Value is assessed value from the most recent available tax assessment.
Municipality filing concentration in Porter County
Valparaiso has the most property-related court filings in Porter County, predominantly Divorce. Filing activity is geographically concentrated in a few municipalities.
| Rank | Municipality | Top case type |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Valparaiso | Divorce |
| 2 | Portage | Divorce |
| 3 | Chesterton | Divorce |
| 4 | Hebron | Divorce |
| 5 | Porter | Divorce |
| 6 | Kouts | Divorce |
| 7 | Crown Point | Divorce |
| 8 | Hobart | Divorce |
| 9 | Michigan City | Divorce |
| 10 | Burns Harbor | Divorce |
| 11 | Westville | Divorce |
| 12 | Lake Station | Divorce |
| 13 | Wheeler | Divorce |
| 14 | Gary | Divorce |
| 15 | Beverly Shores | Probate |
Municipalities in rank order, most court filings first, among filings with a municipality on the property record. Municipality names from public property records.
Property Value Distribution
| Price range | Share | Distribution |
|---|---|---|
| Under $50K | 2.5% | |
| $50K–$100K | 2.3% | |
| $100K–$150K | 9.1% | |
| $150K–$200K | 15.8% | |
| $200K–$300K | 32.1% | |
| $300K–$500K | 28.8% | |
| $500K+ | 9.4% |
Value by case type
| Case type | Median value | Average value |
|---|---|---|
| Divorce | $274,462 | $317,836 |
| Probate | $241,915 | $299,181 |
| Pre-Foreclosure | $243,793 | $273,835 |
| Guardianship | $283,282 | $327,012 |
Assessed property values from public property records for filings with a valuation. Values reflect tax-assessed amounts, not market price.
Ownership Duration Before Filing
The median ownership duration before a court filing is 5.9 years, with 31.6% of owners holding the property 10+ years (a strong equity signal for investors). Probate cases show the longest tenure (7.4 yr median) vs. Guardianship (5.3 yr).
| Ownership period | Share | Distribution |
|---|---|---|
| Under 2 years | 18.5% | |
| 2–5 years | 25.9% | |
| 5–10 years | 24.0% | |
| 10–20 years | 21.6% | |
| 20+ years | 10.0% |
Tenure by case type
| Case type | Median tenure | Average tenure |
|---|---|---|
| Divorce | 5.4 yr | 7.7 yr |
| Pre-Foreclosure | 6.5 yr | 9.0 yr |
| Probate | 7.4 yr | 10.2 yr |
| Guardianship | 5.3 yr | 7.5 yr |
Duration calculated from last recorded property sale to court filing date, for filings with a recorded prior sale. Longer ownership often correlates with higher equity.
Land vs improvement value composition
Across properties with assessed value breakdowns, the median land share is 16.0% (median land value $41,500, median improvement value $214,500). 1.2% of properties are land-dominant (50%+ land value), which makes them potential teardown or vacant-lot targets. Probate cases skew most land-heavy (median 17.4%) while Divorce skews most improvement-heavy (15.6%).
Land share distribution
| Land share bracket | % of total |
|---|---|
| Under 10% | 6.8% |
| 10–20% | 69.1% |
| 20–30% | 18.2% |
| 30–50% | 4.8% |
| 50–70% | 0.6% |
| Over 70% | 0.6% |
Land share by case type
| Case type | Median land % |
|---|---|
| Divorce | 15.6% |
| Probate | 17.4% |
| Pre-Foreclosure | 15.7% |
| Guardianship | 16.0% |
Analysis of filings with assessed land and improvement value breakdowns.
Methodology and data sources
- Based on public court filings, analyzed by Keystone. As of October 2026. Court records are public information.
- These statistics describe property-related court filings in Porter County. The owner-of-record match and the entity-owner screen are applied to delivered leads, not to these aggregate statistics.
- Property value figures come from property records where available.
- 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 is current as of October 2026 (generated 2026-10-21).
Top cities for filings within Porter County
Where filings concentrate inside Porter County, by parsed property city or township, in rank order.
| Rank | City / Township |
|---|---|
| 1 | Valparaiso |
| 2 | Portage |
| 3 | Chesterton |
| 4 | Hebron |
| 5 | Kouts |
Related Indiana guides
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Cite: Keystone Court Data, "Porter County Indiana Court Filings Intelligence," 2026-10-21, https://keystonecourtdata.com/reports/porter-in-court-filings-intelligence