Let’s say you come across a house or piece of land that interests you, but doesn’t see a For Sale sign. You may wonder how to find out who owns a property. Since property ownership records are public, you can access property data quickly, especially if you have the property address. But not all cases are easy; Sometimes, it takes some work.
Whether you are considering a home for your primary residence or to purchase as a real estate investor, knowing how to do a property owner search can come in handy.
Reasons to find out who owns the property
There are many reasons to obtain owner information. For example, you drive through a neighborhood you’ve never seen and immediately fall in love with a piece of residential property. Its exterior speaks to you, and deep down you know it’s the right investment, but there’s no For Sale sign out front. You have money ready to make an offer and want to know if the owner of the property will sell for the right price.
If you find an abandoned property that you can fix up and flip for a profit, you may want to locate the owner of the property. There may be a vacant plot of land that you want to buy to build a house. Property records can help you determine your next move.
Of course, there’s no guarantee that once you find out who owns the property, they’ll want to sell it, but it may be worth the effort.
Ways to find out who owns a property
If you find a property that you wish to buy, you have a number of options, from having a simple conversation to viewing the property details through the Land Registry.
Here’s who is the owner of the property.
Check with the local assessor’s office
Most property owners pay property taxes to the county. The county tax assessor determines the assessed value of the property and collects the property tax payment. The assessor keeps records of a home’s property owner, property values and property tax records, so starting with the assessor’s office at City Hall can help you find out who owns the property and the amount of taxes paid. .
You can access the property appraisal on the county tax assessor’s website or in person at City Hall. You can find property tax bills or other property data tools to help you find these properties and land records. Many records at the tax assessor’s office are free, but if you go there in person, they may charge a small fee to access the documents.
Remember, when you find the owner’s information, the contact details may not be available, so you still have some work to do. However, having the property owner’s name provides more opportunities to find contact information on social media or even the Yellow Pages after using the county assessor.
check with the county clerk or recorder
The county clerk’s office may also have records of property owners. This is an excellent place to check whether the local tax assessor has records of the property. This can happen if the property owner does not pay property tax or the land is not registered.
The county recorder’s office records property deeds when ownership data changes. Checking with the county clerk’s office or county recorder provides relevant information, such as the names, addresses, contact information and title of property owners, that may be necessary for you to determine whether the property is owned. Who is the owner of
use a title company
A title company may perform a real estate title search for a fee. A title search is another way to determine a property’s ownership information, including the chain of ownership and information on any liens. For example, when you buy a pre-owned property, the mortgage company hires a title company to conduct a title search to make sure there are no liens on the home. Even if you are not buying the home, you can pay a title search company to find the current or previous owners.
Title companies charge $75 to $200 for a title search, depending on the complexity of the job. You can contact a local title company or ask your most recent mortgage lender which title search company to use for your title search.
search online
A simple online search may be all you need to determine who owns the property. White Pages.com is a free online service that provides property ownership information using reverse address search. It’s best not to rely on sites like this for accuracy, but it can be a good start.
ask a real estate agent
Real estate agents have access to more information than the general public. First, they can access the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), which lists any active home listings. They may also have more access to title searches or other important data that you can’t find in public records.
Many real estate agents will provide this service for free in order to develop relationships within the community.
Use mailing list brokers
A mailing list broker is an online service that collects public records in bulk for companies but can also serve individuals. The downside is that the price is usually quite steep for mailing list brokers because they work in bulk and do a lot of work in their research.
check your local library
The local library is a logical place to check property records because they are public information, and library staff excel at research. In addition, you can ask the library staff for reference resources, as they may have many asset data tools at their disposal. They may also be able to help you dig deeper than a basic public records search.
knock on the door or leave a note
Your solution may be to talk to the owner of the property to find it. If you’re keen to start conversations with property owners out of the blue, consider walking around the area and knocking on doors. If the property is vacant, consider talking to neighbors about the property owner. Neighbors may have more information about the property beyond the owner’s name, helping you determine whether it’s worth considering.
Finally, while the property may be exactly what you’re looking for, if traffic is bad or there are neighbor complaints about crime or unruly citizens, you may want to search in a different direction.
no one home? Leave a note with your name, phone number, email and reason for contacting. Who knows, they might contact you!
Contact a Real Estate Lawyer
If you know a real estate attorney or have a good one to contact, they can provide directions. Lawyers may not have access to more in-depth information than you, but they often have the right contacts to get the information you need.
Tips for Visiting the Homeowner
After learning the best ways to find out who owns property, it is necessary to understand the best way to contact the legal owner of the property. It may not be the best strategy to approach the current owner and say, “Hey, I want to buy your house.” Instead, you should be as prepared as possible with the following:
- earnest money deposit: Make sure to save the earnest money to show the property owner that you are serious about buying the property. The bigger the deposit, the more serious you look. Remember, though, only put down money if you can follow through on the contract.
- get pre-approved: An official pre-approval letter shows the property owner that you are a serious and capable buyer. Knowing that you’ve already gone through underwriting, can afford the payments and interest rates, and are ready to buy a home can help your case.
- Work with a Real Estate AttorneyIt is best to have a real estate attorney available to assist you with the details of the contract and to ensure that the purchase is legal.
Final Thoughts: How to Know Who Owns a Property
When searching for property information, you have several options. Exhaust your free options first, as you may be able to find property records online or through a professional, such as a real estate agent, offering a free property search. Paid options also exist, but only use those options if you’ve exhausted all others.
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Note by BiggerPockets: These are the views expressed by the author and do not necessarily represent the views of BigPockets.
