Horry County, SC, Registers 851 Active Pre-Foreclosures Over Past 12 Months
Horry County, South Carolina, is a significant hotspot for distressed properties, with 851 active pre-foreclosures recorded over the past 12 months. This high volume positions the county as a key area for real estate investors and market watchers.
According to BatchData's Active Pre-Foreclosures Report for July 2026, Horry County's pre-foreclosure pipeline affects a total of 927 parcels. This substantial activity signals potential future inventory for investors seeking opportunities in auctions, short sales, or real estate owned (REO) properties. The data provides a crucial snapshot for understanding the dynamics of distressed assets in this coastal South Carolina region.
County Overview
Horry County's 851 active pre-foreclosures place it at #2 among all 46 counties in South Carolina, capturing a notable 8.0% of the state's total 10,572 pre-foreclosure properties. This elevated ranking suggests that Horry County, despite not being the state's largest by population, exhibits an outsized level of distress compared to many other counties in South Carolina. For investors, this concentration points to a more active market for acquiring properties in various stages of the foreclosure process.
The pre-foreclosure pipeline in Horry County is heavily weighted towards its earlier stages, indicating a significant volume of new distressed activity. Notice of Lis Pendens filings, which represent the initial public notice of a lawsuit affecting real property, account for the largest share at 475 properties, or 55.8% of the total. This early-stage dominance provides a longer lead time for investors to identify and evaluate potential acquisitions before properties move closer to auction. Following Lis Pendens, Notice of Default filings, which signal a missed mortgage payment, make up 224 properties (26.3%), while Notice of Sale filings, indicating an impending auction, comprise 152 properties (17.9%). The substantial proportion of properties in the Lis Pendens stage means that a large segment of the current pipeline in Horry County still has time before reaching a foreclosure sale.
Local Market Context
Residential properties overwhelmingly dominate Horry County's pre-foreclosure landscape, accounting for 824 properties, or 96.8% of the total 851 active pre-foreclosures. This strong concentration in residential assets highlights the primary segment where investors can expect to find distressed opportunities. Commercial properties represent a smaller but still notable segment with 22 active pre-foreclosures, making up 2.6% of the county's total. Other property types, including Miscellaneous (2 properties, 0.2%), Exempt (1 property, 0.1%), Office (1 property, 0.1%), and Industrial (1 property, 0.1%), contribute marginally to the overall pipeline. This breakdown underscores that the vast majority of pre-foreclosure data in Horry County pertains to homes and residential investment properties.
A more detailed examination of property types reveals that Single Family homes lead with 518 active pre-foreclosures, constituting 60.9% of the county's total. This is followed by Condominium Units, which account for a substantial 226 properties, or 26.6%. The high number of condominium units in the pre-foreclosure pipeline is particularly noteworthy for Horry County, given its coastal location and prevalence of vacation and second homes. Mobile/Manufactured Homes also represent a segment with 42 properties (4.9%), followed by Townhouses with 20 properties (2.4%), and General property types with 12 (1.4%). Even Vacant Land shows activity, with 10 properties (1.2%) in pre-foreclosure, alongside 7 Motel properties (0.8%) and 4 Single Family Residential (Assumed) properties (0.5%). This granular view of property types allows real estate investing strategies to be tailored to the specific asset classes most impacted.
The significant volume of residential pre-foreclosures, particularly single-family homes and condominiums, combined with the pipeline's concentration in the Notice of Lis Pendens stage, suggests that Horry County could see a steady supply of distressed inventory in the coming months. For savvy investors utilizing market reports and property data API, understanding these dynamics is crucial for identifying acquisition targets. The presence of commercial and even motel properties in the pipeline also points to diversified opportunities beyond traditional residential assets, appealing to a broader range of investment strategies. This detailed insight into Horry County's pre-foreclosure activity makes it an important market to monitor for those looking to capitalize on distressed real estate.