How to Find Who Ownes a Property: Who Owns This House

Let’s say you find a house or piece of land that interests you, but doesn’t have a for-sale sign. You may be wondering how to find out who owns a property. Property ownership records are public, so property data is readily accessible, especially if you know the address of the property. But not all cases are easy. In some cases, some work may be required.

Whether you’re considering a home as your primary residence or buying a home as a real estate investor, it’s helpful to know how to find a property owner.

Reasons to verify property ownership

There are several reasons for retrieving owner information. For example, walking in an unfamiliar area, you instantly fall in love with a residential area. Its appearance speaks to you and you know deep down that it is the perfect investment, but there is no For Sale sign in front of it. You are ready to make an offer and want to know if the property owner will sell it for the right price.

Also, if you find an abandoned property that you know can be repaired for a profit, you may want to find the owner of that property. Maybe you have a vacant lot you want to buy to build a house on. Real estate records help determine next steps.

Of course, there’s no guarantee they’ll want to sell it when they find out who owns the property, but it might be worth the effort.

How to find out who owns a property

Once you find a property you want to buy, you have multiple options, from a simple conversation to looking up property details in the land register.

Here’s how to find out who owns a property.

Check your local assessor’s office

Most property owners pay property taxes to the county. The county tax assessor determines the value of the property and collects property tax payments. Assessors keep records of home ownership, property values, and property taxes, so starting with the Assessor’s Office at City Hall may tell you who owns a property and how much taxes you’ve paid. not.

You can access your property valuation online at your county tax assessor’s website or in person at your city hall. You may find property tax invoices or other property data tools to help you find these property and land records. Many tax assessor’s office records are free, but if you go directly to the tax office, they may charge a small fee to access the documents.

Note that even if owner information is found, contact details may not be available, so there is still work to be done. However, having the property owner’s name increases the chances of finding contact information on social media and the yellow pages after working with county appraisers.

Check with your county official or registrar

The county clerk’s office may also have records of property owners. A great place to check if the local tax assessor has records of the property. This can happen if the property owner has not paid property tax or if the land is not registered.

If the ownership data changes, the county registrar’s office will record the property deed. Contacting the county clerk’s office or county registrar will give you the relevant information you need to find out who owns the property, including the property owner’s name, address, contact information, chain of title, and more.

use a title company

A rights company can conduct a property rights survey for a fee. A title search is another way to find property title information, such as chain of title and lien information. For example, when buying a previously owned property, the mortgage company hires a title company to perform a title search to ensure that the home is free of a lien. Even if you didn’t buy the house, you can pay a rights search firm to find out the current or former owner.

Rights companies charge anywhere from $75 to $200 for a rights search, depending on the complexity of the job. You can contact your local title company or ask your current mortgage lender which title search company they use for title searches.

search online

A simple online search may be enough to identify a property owner. White Pages.com is a free online service that provides property ownership information using reverse address lookup. It’s best not to rely on such sites for accuracy, but it’s a good start.

Let’s ask a real estate agent

Realtors have access to more information than the general public. First, you can access Multiple Listing Service (MLS) lists active residential properties. You may also have access to additional title searches and other important data not available in public records.

Many realtors offer this service for free to build relationships within their community.

Use a mailing list broker

Mailing list brokers are online services that collect public records in bulk for businesses, but they may also serve individuals. The downside is that mailing list brokers do a lot of work and put a lot of effort into research, so their prices are usually pretty high.

Check your local library

Because property records are public information and library staff are highly investigative, your local library is a reasonable place to check property records. Additionally, you can ask about reference resources, as library staff may have many real estate data tools at their disposal. We may also be able to help you dig deeper than basic public records searches.

Please knock on the door or leave a note

A solution might be to talk to find a property owner. If you suddenly want to strike up a conversation with a property owner, consider walking through the area and knocking on the door. If the property is vacant, consider asking your neighbors about who owns the property. Neighbors may have more information about the property than just the owner’s name, which can help you decide if it’s worth considering.

After all, the property may be exactly what you’re looking for, but if traffic is bad or neighbors are complaining of crime or unruly residents, look elsewhere. You may want to look for directions.

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Consult a Real Estate Lawyer

If you know a real estate attorney, or don’t mind contacting one, they may be able to provide direction. An attorney may not have access to more information than you do, but they often have the right contacts to get the information they need.

Tips for approaching homeowners

After learning the best way to verify a property’s owner, it’s important to understand the best way to approach the legal owner of the property. Approaching the current owner and saying, “I’d like to buy your house” may not be the best strategy. Instead, you should be prepared as much as possible to:

• serious deposit: Set aside money to show property owners that you are serious about buying a property. The bigger the deposit, the more serious it looks. However, only make a down payment if you are able to fulfill the contract properly.
• get pre-approved: An official pre-approval letter shows property owners that you are a serious and competent buyer. Knowing that you’ve already completed the underwriting process, can afford payments and interest, and are ready to buy a home can help you get the hang of it.
• Work with a Real Estate Attorney: It’s best to hire a real estate attorney to help you with contract details and make sure your purchase is legal.

Finally: How to Verify Property Ownership

When looking for property information, you have many choices. Exhaust free options first, as the property records you need can be found online or through professionals such as realtors who offer free property searches. Paid options also exist, but use them only when all other options have been exhausted.

Note by BiggerPockets: These are opinions written by the authors and do not necessarily represent the opinions of BiggerPockets.