The Observer extracted this information from Mecklenburg County property and sales data. A foreclosure occurs when an owner falls behind on mortgage payments, and the home is seized and sold to pay the debt. This map also shows forced sales, which include some short sales. A short sale is usually an alternative to foreclosure in which the house is sold for less than the mortgage balance, and the lender agrees to accept the sale price as full payment.

For more information about Mecklenburg's public property records, visit the county's Web site.