This page will help you get started accessing foreclosure data with the Column API.

Notices of Foreclosure

Column's API for foreclosure data allows you to retrieve information about properties being seized and sold by a lender due to the homeowner's inability to make mortgage payments. The data includes details such as the property's location, the type of property, the amount of the outstanding mortgage, and the status of the foreclosure process.

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Limited Access

By default Column's API only exposes a limited set of foreclosure notices. To get more access, reach out to [email protected]

Extracting Data from Text or PDFs

If you notice of foreclosure in text or PDF format, you can use the entity extraction algorithms of Column to convert that information into structured data. Entity extraction is a process that involves extracting specific pieces of information, such as names, dates, and addresses, from unstructured text data and organizing them into a structured format, such as a table or spreadsheet. By using Column's entity extraction algorithms, you can quickly and easily extract important information from your RFP data and convert it into a more usable and accessible format.

curl --request POST \
  --url http://utility.column.us/v1/foreclosure/extract \
  --header 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  --data '{
	"text": "SECTION 001116 - NOTICE  INVITING BIDS ..."
}'

Accessing Foreclosure Notices

Access is currently segmented by state. For example, to access notices in California, you would use the endpoint https://utility.column.us/v1/california/foreclosure

Access follows standard REST guidelines as outlined below.

Listing records

curl --request GET \
  --url 'https://utility.column.us/v1/colorado/foreclosure' \
  --header 'Authorization: Bearer YOUR_TOKEN'

Paginating Responses

Column’s API supports pagination by offset as well as by cursor.

Paginating by offset

# use the page parameter to get the next batch of results
curl --request GET \
  --url 'https://utility.column.us/v1/colorado/foreclosure?page=1' \
  --header 'Authorization: Bearer YOUR_TOKEN'

Paginating by cursor

# use the starting_after parameter to get results after the document with ID 12345
curl --request GET \
  --url 'https://utility.column.us/v1/colorado/foreclosure?starting_after=12345' \
  --header 'Authorization: Bearer YOUR_TOKEN'

# use the ending_before parameter to get results before the document with ID 12345
curl --request GET \
  --url 'https://utility.column.us/v1/colorado/foreclosure?ending_before=12345' \
  --header 'Authorization: Bearer YOUR_TOKEN'

Getting the details of a record

curl --request GET \
  --url 'https://utility.column.us/v1/colorado/foreclosure/1' \
  --header 'Authorization: Bearer YOUR_TOKEN'

Filtering records with query parameters

curl --request GET \
  --url 'https://utility.column.us/v1/colorado/foreclosure?county=Douglas%20County' \
  --header 'Authorization: Bearer YOUR_TOKEN'

Running text search against record contents

Fields available for text search are detailed in the schema below with column “searchable.”

curl --request GET \
  --url 'https://utility.column.us/v1/colorado/foreclosure?search=Text' \
  --header 'Authorization: Bearer YOUR_TOKEN'

Understanding API Responses

Successful API calls will return a JSON object with relevant data inside of a data field. When listing data, results will be in an array. When running a detail requests, the field will directly contain a JSON object. Here is a sample response of a detail call to the public notices table.

  {
    "id": "2697",
    "paperName": "Vacaville Reporter",
    "county": "Solano County",
    "state": "CA",
    "sanitizedText": "NOTICE TO BID NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT The Vacaville Unified School District\nwill receive bids for the furnishing of specialty & seasonal produce products\n(RFP#22-23-006) and paper products (RFP#22-23-007) for schools of Vacaville\nUnified School District, Student Nutrition Department. Bid packets can be\ndownloaded online at www.vacavilleusd.org under Student Nutrition Department.\nSealed proposals must be submitted to the Student Nutrition Office, located at\nVacaville Unified School District Educational Service Center, 401 Nut Tree Road,\nVacaville, CA, 95687. Submit proposals prior to November 30, 2022 at 10:00 A.M.\nwith a time and date stamp by the front desk upon arrival. Bid opening at 10:15\nA.M.",
    "date": "1668470400000",
    "extractedEntities": [
      {
        "notice_id": "56328b56e8442961bdaebc34b8759d73",
        "sanitized_text": "MORTGAGEE'S NOTICE OF SALE OF REAL PROPERTY By virtue of a Power of Sale\ncontained in a certain mortgage given by Keith Marshall, Marianne Marshall (\"the\nMortgagor(s)\") to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for\nMovement Mortgage, LLC, dated October 26, 2018 and recorded in the Hillsborough\nCounty Registry of Deeds in Book 9121, Page 2150, (the \"Mortgage\"), which\nmortgage is held by Federal National Mortgage Association, the present holder of\nsaid Mortgage, pursuant to and in execution of said power and for breach of\nconditions of said Mortgage and for the purposes of foreclosing the same will\nsell at: Public Auction on January 25, 2023 at 3:00 PM Said sale being located\non the mortgaged premises and having a present address of 5 Garrison Farm Road,\nHudson, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire. The premises are more particularly\ndescribed in the Mortgage. For mortgagor's(s') title see deed recorded with the\nHillsborough County Registry of Deeds in Book 9121, Page 2148. NOTICE PURSUANT\nTO NEW HAMPSHIRE RSA 479:25, YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO\nPETITION THE SUPERIOR COURT FOR THE COUNTY IN WHICH THE MORTGAGED PREMISES ARE\nSITUATED, WITH SERVICE UPON THE MORTGAGEE, AND UPON SUCH BOND AS THE COURT MAY\nREQUIRE TO ENJOIN THE SCHEDULED FORECLOSURE SALE. The address of the mortgagee\nfor service of process is Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae),\nLegal Department, Granite Park VII, 5600 Granite Parkway, Plano, TX 75024 and\nthe name of the mortgagee's agent for service of process is Todd Barton. You can\ncontact the New Hampshire Banking Department by e-mail at [email protected].\nFor information on getting help with housing and foreclosure issues, please call\nthe foreclosure information hotline at 1-800-437-5991. The hotline is a service\nof the New Hampshire Banking Department. There is no charge for this call. The\nProperty will be sold subject to all unpaid real estate taxes and all other\nliens and encumbrances which may be entitled to precedence over the Mortgage.\nNotwithstanding any title information contained in this notice, the Mortgagee\nexpressly disclaims any representations as to the state of the title to the\nProperty involved as of the date of the notice of the date of sale. The property\nto be sold at the sale is \"AS IS WHERE IS\". TERMS OF SALE A deposit of Five\nThousand ($5,000.00) Dollars in the form of a certified check or bank\ntreasurer's check or other check satisfactory to Mortgagee's attorney will be\nrequired to be delivered at or before the time a bid is offered. The successful\nbidder(s) will be required to execute a purchase and sale agreement immediately\nafter the close of the bidding. The balance of the purchase price shall be paid\nwithin thirty (30) days from the sale date in the form of a certified check,\nbank treasurer's check or other check satisfactory to Mortgagee's attorney. The\nMortgagee reserves the right to bid at the sale, to reject any and all bids, to\ncontinue the sale and to amend the terms of the sale by written or oral\nannouncement made before or during the foreclosure sale. The description of the\npremises contained in said mortgage shall control in the event of an error in\nthis publication. Dated at Newton, Massachusetts, on November 21, 2022. Federal\nNational Mortgage Association By its Attorney, Autumn Sarzana Harmon Law\nOffices, P.C. PO Box 610389 Newton Highlands, MA 02461 603-669-7963 22617",
        "state": "New Hampshire",
        "county": "",
        "date": "2022-11-30",
        "paper_name": "The Union Leader",
        "extracted_entities": [
          {
            "auctionDateTime": "January 25, 2023 at 3:00 PM",
            "propertyAddress": "5 Garrison Farm Road, Hudson, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire",
            "mortgagorName": "Keith Marshall, Marianne Marshall",
            "mortgageeName": "Federal National Mortgage Association",
            "mortgageeAddress": "Granite Park VII, 5600 Granite Parkway, Plano, TX 75024",
            "mortgageePhone": "1-800-437-5991",
            "mortgageeEmail": "[email protected]",
            "attorneyName": "Autumn Sarzana Harmon",
            "attorneyAddress": "PO Box 610389 Newton Highlands, MA 02461",
            "attorneyPhone": "603-669-7963",
            "deedDate": "October 26, 2018"
          }
        ]
      }
    ]
  }

Bulk Data Delivery

For questions surrounding bulk data delivery or notice data in multiple states please contact [email protected] with the headline “Accessing Bulk Data.”