How To Locate Public Property Records For Property History

Unless you’re purchasing a new build, your house will come with a history. It’s important as a homebuyer to explore a home’s past before signing on the dotted line. All of the information you need is stored in public property records, which can be accessed in a number of ways, both online and off. 

What Are Property Records?

Property records are the legal documents that make up the deed. Each time a deed is signed and transferred to a property’s new owner, it gets recorded. This information is kept by the ‘recorder of deeds’ or the county records department, along with other official documents that make up the title record. 

How to Find Property Records

Finding property records for a home isn’t hard, but it can be time-consuming. To access your property records, you’ll first need the property’s address. In most cases, you’ll also have to pay a nominal fee to access the records. Here’s where you can find each:

• Online
  • Start your search online. Typically, you can find complete property records online. In cases where the home is old, or located in a rural area, however, you may need to look for your records in person. 
    • Try searching ‘public property records City, State’. Usually the first .gov website is your city’s resource where you can search based on property address.
• Offline
  • If you can’t the information online, head to the local office of the recorder of deeds. This may be at one of these locations:
    • County courthouse
    • City hall
    • County Clerk Recorder’s office
    • Other official county or city departments

Are Property Records Public?

Complete property records are available to the public in the United States, with the exclusion of 12 states, which do not disclose past selling prices. (Alaska, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Texas, Utah, Wyoming)

In these cases, you’ll need to work with your agent to assess the value of the property.

What Do Property Records Include?

• Deeds
  • The deed shows the ownership history of the property. It includes details about the property, the names of the grantor (seller) and grantee (buyer), and the date of transfer.  
• Liens/Taxes 
  • Liens are legal claims to a property, including the mortgage record and taxes. 
• Mortgage Record
  • The mortgage shows details about loans taken out on the property. This will denote the type of loan, name of lender, size of down payment, and amount the home previously sold for.
• Taxes
  • You’ll also find information on the assessed value of the home and taxes paid in the property records. If you purchase a home with outstanding taxes, you are responsible for paying them, rather than the previous owner. Liens must be paid in chronological order, except for tax liens, which are the first priority. The property’s APN, or assessor’s parcel number is listed within the tax documents for the property. This number will identify the property for tax purposes. 
• Plat Maps
  • Plat maps are survey records with details of the land boundaries, property dimensions, existing buildings, streets, and geograhpic features, such as bodies of water. Additionally, you’ll find zoning classification and land use restrictions in these records.
• Renovation History
  • Records of construction or modifications made to the property will also be included in the property records.

How to Use Property Records in Your Home Search

Property records provide important information to the purchase of a house. Here are some key ways these records are useful:

• Provide background information on mortgages, asset searches, and general history of the property
• Include details on past renovations and repairs
• Identify outstanding liens, unpaid taxes, and information about legal disputes
• Help determine an assessed value versus the market value
• Outline property boundaries, which can be cross-checked with what the seller has described

Further Research Into What a Property Records File Includes

Property records can provide essential information on the homes you’re interested in, from past tax history to renovation records. You might discover personal details about previous homeowners, such as bankruptcy or divorce, and occasionally, old photographs are included in the files.

While we recommend that homebuyers research their favorite listings, seeking assistance from a trusted realtor or advisor can be beneficial. In addition to searching through property records, explore these key questions to ask when buying a house.