Swain County, North Carolina Court Filings Intelligence
Live court-record analysis of property-related filings (foreclosure, probate, divorce, partition, guardianship). Data sourced direct from Swain County court dockets. Updated 2026-08-03. See methodology.
- Filing volume accelerating (+52.9%) — last 3 complete months (52 filings) vs prior 3 complete months (34 filings). Excludes the current calendar month (in progress).
- Max gross cap rate 4.5% at HUD Fair Market Rent — $11,100/year (2BR FMR × 12) on the $248,690 median estimated market value. Section-8-eligible rent ceiling; real-market rent typically exceeds FMR; excludes operating costs (taxes, insurance, maintenance, vacancy, management).
- 84.2% of filings are Lien — the dominant lead category in Swain County during the observed window.
About Swain County
Swain County is a county located on the far western border of the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 14,117. Its county seat is Bryson City.
Source: Wikipedia
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183 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 183 filings).
$248,690 median estimated property value across the 25 filings with property-enrichment data (14% 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 | 157 | 85.8% | |
| Divorce | 23 | 12.6% | |
| Pre-Foreclosure | 2 | 1.1% | |
| Tax Sale | 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 | 6 | ||
| Aug 2025 | 7 | +1 | |
| Sep 2025 | 22 | +15 | |
| Oct 2025 | 23 | +1 | |
| Nov 2025 | 11 | -12 | |
| Dec 2025 | 16 | +5 | |
| Jan 2026 | 12 | -4 | |
| Feb 2026 | 7 | -5 | |
| Mar 2026 | 15 | +8 | |
| Apr 2026 | 12 | -3 | |
| May 2026 | 19 | +7 | |
| Jun 2026 | 19 | 0 | |
| Jul 2026 | 14 | -5 |
Each row reflects new filings entering the dataset that month, after ownership verification. Most recent month may be partial.
Geographic concentration by ZIP
Top 0 ZIPs in Swain County account for 0.0% of all tracked filings, showing where distressed real estate activity clusters.
| ZIP | City | Filings | Share |
|---|
Based on filings with a parseable property address (0% of Swain County filings).
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Property value distribution
| Estimated value | Filings | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $75k | 1 | 4.0% | |
| $75k - $150k | 7 | 28.0% | |
| $150k - $250k | 5 | 20.0% | |
| $250k - $400k | 12 | 48.0% |
Source: third-party property enrichment (14% coverage on Swain County filings). Median $248,690; mean $207,985.
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Day-of-week filing pattern
| Day | Filings | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 19 | 10.4% | |
| Mon | 45 | 24.6% | |
| Tue | 33 | 18.0% | |
| Wed | 34 | 18.6% | |
| Thu | 47 | 25.7% | |
| Fri | 5 | 2.7% | |
| Sat | 0 | 0.0% |
Filings show some weekend activity, suggesting after-hours electronic filing. Computed for 183 filings with a parseable date.
Housing stock + distress signals
Underlying housing stock and distress indicators across all 8529 Swain County housing units, from US Census ACS 5-year data. National reference values shown for context.
| Indicator | Swain County | US average |
|---|---|---|
| Vacancy rate (incl. seasonal + for-sale) | 31.6% | 10.5% |
| Share of owner-occupied units carrying a mortgage | 38.8% | 60.8% |
| Pre-1940 housing stock | 3.4% | 12.3% |
| Single-family detached share of housing stock | 67.1% | 61.2% |
| Residents age 65 or older | 19.7% | 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. Swain County sits within the Swain 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 | $806 |
| 1-bedroom | $813 |
| 2-bedroom | $925 |
| 3-bedroom | $1,264 |
| 4-bedroom | $1,390 |
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 Swain 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) | 94 |
| Year-over-year change (2024 → 2025) | +22.1% |
| Single-family share of permits (2025) | 89.4% |
| Single-family units permitted | 84 |
| Multifamily units permitted (2+ units per building) | 10 |
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
Swain 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 | 84.2% | +56.2% |
| Divorce | 23 | 12.6% | -16.7% |
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 Oct and are lowest in Feb. The 3.3x peak-to-trough ratio suggests strong seasonal patterns — investors who time their outreach around Oct can reach more distressed homeowners.
| Month | Avg filings | Relative |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 12 | 52% |
| Feb | 7 | 30% |
| Mar | 15 | 65% |
| Apr | 12 | 52% |
| May | 19 | 83% |
| Jun | 19 | 83% |
| Jul | 10 | 43% |
| Aug | 7 | 30% |
| Sep | 22 | 96% |
| Oct | 23 | 100% |
| Nov | 11 | 48% |
| Dec | 16 | 70% |
Average filings per calendar month across all observed years. Relative column shows each month as a percentage of the peak month (Oct), with a 3.3x 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 | 23 | 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. Divorce 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 | 97.0% | 81.3% | +15.7pp (rising) |
| Pre-Foreclosure | 3.0% | 0.7% | +2.3pp |
| Divorce | 0.0% | 15.3% | -15.3pp (falling) |
| Personal Property | 0.0% | 0.7% | -0.7pp |
| Tax Sale | 0.0% | 0.7% | -0.7pp |
| Eviction | 0.0% | 0.7% | -0.7pp |
| Custody | 0.0% | 0.7% | -0.7pp |
Distress diversity score: 0.19 (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 $240,750. The largest segment (42.9%) falls in the $250K - $500K range.
| Value range | Properties | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Under $100K | 7 | 25.0% |
| $100K - $250K | 9 | 32.1% |
| $250K - $500K | 12 | 42.9% |
Value breakdown by case type
| Case type | Median value | Avg value | Properties |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lien | $240,750 | $184,623 | 26 |
Based on county assessor records for 28 properties with court filings (15.3% of total filings). Values are tax-assessed amounts, not market listing prices.
Distress Capital Analysis
$5,284,630 in assessed property value is currently tied up in 28 court-filed properties.
Capital at Risk by Filing Type
| Filing Type | Total Value | Properties | Avg Value | High Equity % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lien | $4,800,200 | 26 | $184,623 | -- |
Based on 28 properties with assessor valuations (15.3% of 183 total filings). Values are county assessor estimates. Equity calculated from estimated value vs outstanding mortgage balance where available.
Market Absorption & Turnover Analysis
183 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 183 active cases.
| Month | New Filings | Resolved | Net | Inflow | Absorption |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 2025 | 6 | 0 | +6 | 0.0% | |
| Aug 2025 | 7 | 0 | +7 | 0.0% | |
| Sep 2025 | 22 | 0 | +22 | 0.0% | |
| Oct 2025 | 23 | 0 | +23 | 0.0% | |
| Nov 2025 | 11 | 0 | +11 | 0.0% | |
| Dec 2025 | 16 | 0 | +16 | 0.0% | |
| Jan 2026 | 12 | 0 | +12 | 0.0% | |
| Feb 2026 | 7 | 0 | +7 | 0.0% | |
| Mar 2026 | 15 | 0 | +15 | 0.0% | |
| Apr 2026 | 12 | 0 | +12 | 0.0% | |
| May 2026 | 19 | 0 | +19 | 0.0% | |
| Jun 2026 | 19 | 0 | +19 | 0.0% | |
| Jul 2026 | 14 | 0 | +14 | 0.0% |
Resolution by Case Type
| Case Type | Filed | Resolved | Absorption | Avg Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lien | 153 | 0 | 0.0% | n/a |
| Divorce | 23 | 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 183 total filings.
Case Aging & Stall Analysis
6 cases (3.3%) have been active for over a year without resolution. 14 filings in the last <30 days represent fresh opportunities.
| Age | Total | Resolved | Still active | Resolution rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| <30 days | 14 | 0 | 14 | 0.0% |
| 30-90 days | 34 | 0 | 34 | 0.0% |
| 3-6 months | 38 | 0 | 38 | 0.0% |
| 6-12 months | 91 | 0 | 91 | 0.0% |
| 1-2 years | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0.0% |
Resolution speed by case type
| Case type | Total | Resolved | Rate | Median days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lien | 153 | 0 | 0.0% | — |
| Divorce | 23 | 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 169 tracked filings in Swain County. Most recent quarter (2026 Q2: 50) was rising vs prior (2026 Q1: 34, +47.1%). Lien shows the largest composition shift, growing share from 74.1% to 91.7%.
| Quarter | Total | Lien | Divorce | Pre-Foreclosure | Eviction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 35 | 21 (60.0%) | 12 (34.3%) | — | 1 (2.9%) |
| 2025 Q4 | 50 | 42 (84.0%) | 6 (12.0%) | — | — |
| 2026 Q1 | 34 | 30 (88.2%) | 4 (11.8%) | — | — |
| 2026 Q2 | 50 | 47 (94.0%) | 1 (2.0%) | 2 (4.0%) | — |
Composition shift: Lien filings are growing share, moving from 74.1% to 91.7% of total filings (+17.5 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 $213,320, with the largest concentration (35.7%) in the $200K–$300K range.
| Price range | Count | Share | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $50K | 3 | 10.7% | |
| $50K–$100K | 4 | 14.3% | |
| $100K–$150K | 4 | 14.3% | |
| $150K–$200K | 3 | 10.7% | |
| $200K–$300K | 10 | 35.7% | |
| $300K–$500K | 4 | 14.3% |
Value by case type
| Case type | Median value | Average value | Properties |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lien | $213,320 | $184,623 | 26 |
Assessed property values from county assessor records for 28 properties (15.3% of total filings). Values reflect tax-assessed amounts, not market price.
Repeat litigation patterns in Swain County
Of 167 unique property owners in court filings, 8 (4.8%) appear in multiple cases, including 3 with 3 or more filings. The most active repeat filer has 7 cases spanning 9 months. Lien cases have the highest repeat rate at 5.8%.
Repeat rate by case type
| Case type | Repeat owners | Total owners | Repeat rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lien | 8 | 137 | 5.8% |
Analysis based on 167 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 Swain 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 (14% 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, "Swain County North Carolina Court Filings Intelligence," 2026-08-03, https://keystonecourtdata.com/reports/swain-nc-court-filings-intelligence · Download data (CSV)