Using GIS in Foreclosure Analysis: A Look at Forsyth County, NC NC Department of Revenue 2011 Advanced Seminar Greensboro, NC September 14, 2011 Presented by: Jason Clodfelter, CMS, GISP Carlo Frate, CMS, GISP Forsyth County Tax Administration GIS/Mapping Division

Discussion Items  Foreclosure terminology  Foreclosure process  Tax office analysis  Changes to office procedures

Triad sets record for foreclosure filings in 2010 By: Richard Craver, Journal Reporter Published: January 7, 2011 North Carolina and most of the Triad set a record for foreclosure filings in 2010, a state agency reported Thursday. There were 67,854 foreclosures in North Carolina in 2010, an increase of 7 percent over Forsyth County had a record 2,396 foreclosure filings last year, up 6 percent, according to the N.C. Administrative Office of the Courts… Of the 14 counties in the Triad and Northwest North Carolina, just two — Alleghany and Rockingham — did not set a record in Although Forsyth has seen a 29 percent increase in foreclosure filings since 2006, some counties in Northwest N.C. have had filings that at least doubled. For example, filings have risen in Watauga County from 107 in 2006 to 356 in 2010, along with going from 75 in 2006 to 160 in 2010 in Ashe County… "North Carolina will have more than a 30 percent increase in completed foreclosures in 2010 compared with 2009," Blomquist said. "I don't believe foreclosures are necessarily going to get a lot worse in 2011, but they're not likely to get much better." Foreclosure Terminology Source of Mass Confusion

 Foreclosure – is a legal process Multiple steps Multiple variables Variety of outcomes  Notice of Hearing on Foreclosure of Deed of Trust Civil papers filed with Clerk of Court that begin the foreclosure process Delivered or posted by the Sheriff's department Often referred to as Foreclosure Filing, Foreclosure Start, Foreclosure Notice or Sheriff’s Notice (terms used by the media)

 Notice of Foreclosure Legal document filed after completion of a foreclosure Mandated by NC GS Filed with the Register of Deeds Sometimes referred to as a Completed Foreclosure Foreclosure Terminology Source of Mass Confusion

Foreclosure Process Banks/Credit Unions Savings & Loans Mortgage Companies Government Entities Home Owners Associations Owner Financing Past Due Payments Are Paid Up Deed In Lieu Of Foreclosure Distressed Sale Short Sale Foreclosure Occurs File Notice of Hearing on Foreclosure of Deed of Trust Foreclosure Related Activities Bankruptcy

OK, So Why Do We Care? Reality  The Tax office is being asked, “What are you doing about all of these foreclosures?” In order to be able to answer this, we must:  Know where the foreclosures are  Be able to track those properties  Follow subsequent sales of those properties  Determine what, if any, affect the foreclosures have on the market area (neighborhoods)  IAAO Standard on Verification and Adjustment of Sales: Sales in which a financial institution is the seller typically should be considered as potentially valid for model calibration and ratio studies if they comprise more than 20% of sales in a specific market area.

 Housing department - participation in the Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) Federal grant money used to help purchase and rehab foreclosed properties NSP requires that the grant money be focused on census tracts most affected by foreclosures Can use foreclosure data to target population segments to educate about home ownership and the services offered by Housing  Others Public Safety/Crime Prevention Code Enforcement OK, So Why Do We Care? Reality

Source: NC Administrative Office of the Courts, Forsyth County Housing Department, Forsyth County Register of Deeds, Forsyth County Tax Administration

Select Neighborhoods Summary Southwestern Forsyth County All sales and foreclosure numbers are for

Median Year Built

Select Neighborhoods Summary Southeastern Forsyth County All sales and foreclosure numbers are for

Median Year Built

Select Neighborhoods Summary Eastern Forsyth County All sales and foreclosure numbers are for

Median Year Built

Summary  General trends in Forsyth County, Analysis so far has shown :  Foreclosure-related sales have sharply increased.  Qualified sales have sharply decreased.  Few countywide trends  Other variables influence changes in home prices General economic conditions Existing housing stock / Supply & Demand  Neighborhood conditions determine extent of effects on home prices by foreclosures Age of homes Location Price point  Future considerations: Expand study period into past and future Examine subsequent sales of foreclosed properties. Consider neighborhood-by-neighborhood analysis to determine effect of foreclosures on property values Identify variables to control for (effect of foreclosures vs. effect of economic downturn) Change workflow processes for classifying and tracking foreclosure- related sales

Changes to Office Procedures Additional Steps to Capture & Track Foreclosures and Foreclosure Related Sales

Changes to Office Procedures  Receive list of Notices of Foreclosure on Deed of Trust (by address) served by Sheriff’s department – add a note to the record receiving notice  Receive list of Notices of Foreclosure, as identified by the Housing Department, on a monthly basis  Match that info up with data in our Tax system to identify records foreclosed on  Code those records to identify them as “Foreclosures”

Changes to Office Procedures  Identify the records with subsequent sales (from financial institutions) after foreclosure and code them as such  These new notes and codes allow us to better track, query and run ratios on sales relating to foreclosures

Effect of Foreclosure Related Sales Qualified & Post Foreclosure Bank Sales Qualified Sales Only Post Foreclosure Bank Sales Only Number of Sales 10,5289,4521,076 Median Assessment Ratio COD29%22%43% For Calendar Years 2009, 2010 and 2011 (through August 26)

Contact Information  Jason Clodfelter  Carlo Frate Forsyth County Tax Administration 201 N Chestnut St Winston-Salem, NC 27101

Addendum Forsyth County Housing Department Using GIS to Identify Home Foreclosures A Positive Side-Effect of Foreclosures

A Positive Side-Effect of Foreclosure Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP)  The NSP is intended to reduce blight, rehabilitate abandoned and foreclosed properties, provide affordable housing for buyers and renters and stimulate the local real estate market.  Funds are allocated by a formula based on the number of foreclosures and vacancies in the 20% of US neighborhoods (Census Tracts) with the highest rates of homes financed by a subprime mortgage, are delinquent or are in foreclosure.  These funds are highly targeted to communities with the most severe neighborhood problems associated with the foreclosure crisis. Source: US Department of Housing & Urban Development, Community Planning & Development Office

A Positive Side-Effect of Foreclosure Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP)  NSP funds may be used for activities such as: Establishing financing mechanisms for purchase and redevelopment of foreclosed homes and residential properties Purchasing and rehabilitating homes and residential properties abandoned or foreclosed Establishing land banks for foreclosed homes Demolish blighted structures Redevelop demolished or vacant properties Source: US Department of Housing & Urban Development, Community Planning & Development Office

 Requirements of program 30% of funds must be used to assist families at or below 80% of Median Household Income Recipients getting assistance for rental units must be at or below 50% of Median Household Income Other first-time home buyers can be at 120% of Median Household Income and still receive assistance A Positive Side-Effect of Foreclosure Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP)

 Administered locally by the Forsyth County Housing Department Creating database of foreclosed properties using Notices of Foreclosure Doing simple geo-coding using addresses and street centerlines to locate foreclosures Collaboration with the Tax office in terms of data sharing

 Assistance Provided to Date Received $3.625 million through the NSP1 program Distributed $3,436, in the form of down payment assistance, rehab assistance and the purchase of foreclosed properties in Forsyth County This includes assistance to 44 first-time home buyers Approximately 160 new affordable housing units have been made available A Positive Side-Effect of Foreclosure Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP)