Public property records are records that government offices keep. You can find history of a property, the property ownership listing or other home property information in this type of report. If you are in a business that deals with real estate, you can benefit from a property records search.

When making the most of property records search, look for free resources. You can find a free property record search, but it might not have all the information you need, which means you will need to use several different free resources to get all the information. Many companies charge a fee for you to access information that you can find on your own. Until you know which resources provide the information you need, you will need to invest time to locate the information you need.

1. Use a property records search to identify the current owner of a property.

2. Find comparable values for properties in the same area as the property that interests you.

3. Determine the after repair value (ARV) of an investment property to determine whether it is worth the risk involved in buying it.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Utilize a free property records search to identify the current owner of a property

Real estate agents and wholesale investors can use a property records search to identify the current owner of a property. Usually you want to target homes in an areas with potential for your type of work. For example, a wholesaler investor might want to purchase homes in a neighbor that is seeing a boom in scrapes and rebuilds. Real estate agents may want to contact owners in neighborhoods experiencing transition in the home ownership.

I recommend: SearchEngineZ.com provides links to several state and county property records. Public Record Center.com helps you to find home property information. You can find out if an individual, corporation or a bank owns property, which can help you in your business acquisitions.

Compare prices with a home sale public record

Property records list the price a property sold for and the amount of tax that a property owner pays on an annual basis. With this information, you can tell how often properties change owners, learn whether the properties are increasing in value and identify potential sale prices based on the values of homes or properties in the area. You can also use the information to determine whether the owner has listed the property at a good price.

I recommend: PublicRecordFinder.com includes the sales history of a property, the current value, lot size and other property information. Expect just the basic information for free from this site. Download the Property Records Search Tool 2.31 for a free trial or buy the licensed version to search for public records. With this tool, you enter the address for a property and the tool searches nationwide records.

Evaluate risk with a property history search

Restate investors can use a property history search to determine how much a property was worth in prime condition. This can help determine the after repair value for the property when you consider comparable values and the economic situation for the area.

I recommend: PublicRecordsIndex.com offers a free preliminary report on properties. Use it to find the sale price and current value of a property. For a fee, PreHomeCheck.com will compile a transaction report tracing the amount paid and to whom. It lists the transactions by recording date.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Use property searches to determine whether an owner owns a property free and clear. If there are liens on the property, you could wind up in a lawsuit to try and keep the property.

Public property records are useful for home buyers, realtors performing title searches for a prospective home buyers or small business owners considering purchasing a property to use as office space.

While it's not possible to find very detailed information about every single property, the public property records information you do find is helpful for several reasons:

1. You'll save time. Any preliminary information you can gather from a free property records search before going to a courthouse will streamline your search process once you get there.
2. You'll save money. You can hire a court researcher at $30 or more per hour to conduct a property history search, or you can find the same information within 30 minutes online.
3. You'll get basic information about the property.
   

Action Steps
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Get detailed property record information online

You are entitled to property record information. Many people don't realize that real estate transactions are part of the public domain, and that's why public property records are so accessible.

I recommend: Go to Zillow.com to find detailed property information including the tax assessor's value, an estimate of the property's worth, and an aerial image. Access public records information by state and county through NETROnline.

Conduct a property history search without going to the courthouse

In some cases, it's possible to determine previous property owners by conducting a free property records search online. Some county websites maintain very detailed information online which will allow you to find a property ownership listing or other home property information. Verify property owner by visiting the relevant county's website.

I recommend: Visit State and Local Government on the Net to find links to county websites. Simply click on the appropriate state link to search for the county you need. For some counties, you can find detailed information online including a property's assessed value, property tax information and previous owners.

Find property photos online

While it might get tedious to perform a free property record search or mortgage records search, visual records can help break up the monotony.

I recommend: Go to Google Earth to download their program. You'll have access to satellite images and a bird's eye view when you enter an address. Google Street View offers street level photographs of select cities, which can be helpful if you're interested in an overall view of a specific neighborhood.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  In some cases, a trip to the courthouse might still be necessary. It's possible to find a lot of information online, but you won't always find everything you need.
• •  Some states and localities offer an abundance of property information online, while other states don't offer any information online due to privacy concerns.

The federal, state and local governments offer some form of public property records. Any business can locate records such as property ownership listings if it knows where to look. Utilizing a free property records search can help an investor determine the after repair value (ARV) of an investment property. Real estate agents can use public home sale records to show the comparable value of homes in a neighborhood.

Property records searches can also help you verify the property owner. If you look for investment properties, this can help you identify the person you need to approach about wholesaling a property. Public records also help protect you from lawsuits or liens.

1. Use a property history search to determine whether a property has a clear title.

2. Compare the value of a property to others in the area, so you know whether the property is a good price.

3. Provide a free property record search to drive traffic to your website.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Conduct a mortgage records search to verify information

If a previous owner or creditor has a lien on a property that you buy, either one may claim your property. Even if they don't seize it outright, you may wind up in a lawsuit over the ownership of the property. Title companies use a variety of methods, including a property ownership listing, to prove that you own the property free and clear.

I recommend: Nationwide Environmental Title Research (NETR) provides a public records online directory that you can search by state. Pacific Information Resources offer its member access to one of the largest online directories for property records. Search public records by type at its website.

Use a free property records search to find information

Most public records are free to access, if you know the right government office to go to. Companies that charge a fee for property records take advantage of the fact that most people won't want to invest the time to find the information on their own. Free property records searches may not include all the information that you need in one place, so plan to look at a few searches to gather a complete picture.

I recommend: Free PRF.com provides links to property records by county for the select states. PublicRecords.OnlineSearches.com maintains a directory of property records by state and county.

Host public property records on your website to increase traffic

For businesses that offer home services, including Realtors, title companies or real estate investors, adding a search engine to your website may draw traffic to your site, which can increase your rank in search engine results. Consider adding public records specific to your areas of business to increase the chance of attracting potential clients.

I recommend: Petrieve offers businesses the ability to integrate a free public record search engine on their websites. If you would rather provide links to freeware property search tools, consider adding links like 3d2f to your website. You can also download the tools for your own use.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  You can use public property records to estimate the taxes you will need to pay on a certain property.

Whether buying a property, checking on property taxes, or comparing taxes in the neighborhood, these activities will require the knowledge of key terms for a property records search. Local government property records for a land parcel will include such information as the owner, the amount of property taxes, details of liens or mortgages and the property’s assessed value. A property records search will likely involve contact with the treasurer’s, assessor’s or recorder’s office, depending upon the information desired. Learn a few key terms to help with the process.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Property tax

A property records search will turn up the amount of property taxes a potential buyer will have to pay on the property, as well as whether taxes for previous years have been paid. The property tax is a fee levied on land by local governments. If a search turns up the fact that property taxes have not been paid, the buyer will not be able to buy the property until the seller has paid taxes.

I recommend: Washington State Department of Revenue gives a definition of property taxes, as well as answering taxpayer questions about the process.

Foreclosure

Although people often think of foreclosure as a bank taking over property when a loan isn't paid, a county can also foreclose on property if the owner doesn't pay property taxes. A property records search at the recorder's office will uncover whether the property is in the process of foreclosure and future sale in a county tax sale.

I recommend: The Oregon Department of Revenue describes the process of foreclosing on real property three years after taxes become delinquent.

Market value or fair market value

The market value or fair market value of a property is an estimate of the price for which a property could be sold. Some local governments use this as a basis for property taxes. The market value will show up on the property record for the land parcel in local government records; this can give the potential buyer an idea of the property's worth.

I recommend: Records.com talks about a valuation analysis of property, based on the system banks use to determine the market value of property.

Assessor

The county assessor's office is responsible for assessing, or determining, the value of real property. The assessed value may or may not be the same as the market value. Those who are doing a property records search will need to contact the assessor's office to obtain information on the property's assessed value. The parcel information should also include such details as square footage of buildings, number of rooms, bathrooms, and other information.

I recommend: The mission of the Douglas County Assessor in Nebraska is explained on the office website.

Lien

If the property owner owes money to someone, that person or company can file a lien against the property which becomes part of the property record. If the owner sells the property, proceeds from the sale can be used to pay the debt.

I recommend: Realestatelawyers.com discusses different types of liens that can be placed against property.

Recorder's office

In a property records search, the county recorder is the office for most local governments that keeps a record of the official owner of the property. When the property is sold, the new deed and owner are registered in the office. The deed contains the surveyor's measurements of the property, giving the searcher exact dimensions of the parcel.

I recommend: EscrowHelp.com gives reasons for recording a deed at the recorder's office.