There are many reasons why you might want to know who owns the property or land. Let’s say you’re walking around Nashville, Tennessee, and you’re quickly falling in love and passing a house you want to buy. Or you might be researching empty lots, tracking landlords, or considering potential investments. Either way, finding who owns the property is easier than you think.
Many property records are published and with the right tools you can reveal the details in just a few steps. Make sure the website you use is legal. From online searches to government records and real estate experts, this guide categorizes 12 effective ways to help you find someone who owns a property.
How to know who owns the property
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First, find the address
Before you begin searching for ownership details, you must find the exact address of your property and/or land (also known as “real estate”). Here are three ways to find it:
Go face to face: Most homes and some properties have visible addresses. Take a walk or drive and search for your own address. Online Map Tool: Programs such as Google Maps and Redfin allow you to easily grasp the address of a property. If you know exactly where the parcel of the land is, you should zoom in to that location and the address pops up. Satellite views can also provide better ideas about the terrain and functionality of the entire plot. Parcel Map: If any other methods don’t work, the next step is to look at the Parcel Map. Parcel maps are a great way to identify properties and their boundaries. These detailed maps are often available free of charge through the county rater’s office or through the GIS website, but vary by state and county.
If you are searching for a specific property (not just your home), you may need a different property identification number (PIN) than your address. Pins are usually found on property tax bills or valuation notices, so they can be a good place to go to the county. Unfortunately, there are 3,143 counties in the United States, many of which use different property identifiers, so it can be difficult to find that number.
Once you have obtained the address (and, if necessary, property numbers), you are ready to start an ownership search.
1. Search online
The easiest way to find out who owns a property or home is to search for an address or property number online. Websites such as Whitepages offer reverse search services, and real estate platforms like Redfin have ownership information at the bottom of most lists. Please note that the information may be incomplete and inaccurate.
Another option is to visit the county website and search for property in that way. Many counties have an online portal where all this information is in one easy location. If that doesn’t work, or if you’re looking for details, it’s time to dig a little deeper.
2. Check the office of your local tax assessor
The majority of people who own private property must pay property tax on it (usually except for churches, libraries, schools, religious buildings, etc.). They pay these taxes to the county and are collected by the county treasurer (often called the collector’s office). County valuers determine the true fair value of the property and maintain records of them.
So, if you’re wondering who owns the property next to it, the best place to start is to go to the local tax assessor’s office. The evaluator will provide free, easy and comprehensive ownership data for all registered properties in the county. You can also see special ratings related to your property, such as loans and other financial information. However, information may become outdated depending on when it is registered.
Check with local civil servants, call the information line, access city hall, go to the chamber, or email the office if you have any questions.
3. Please contact the county clerk
Some properties are not listed in tax assessors for a variety of reasons. Perhaps it is unregistered land, or there was an administrative error, or no one has paid tax on it. If the county assessor is not able to help, the next step is to contact the county clerk, which is sometimes referred to as the office of the act’s register, act, or recorder.
County clerks often have a record of property deeds. Once you find the act, it must have the property owner’s signature, as well as address and contact information. Depending on the time the deed was recorded, it could be outdated.
In most cases, information is available online, but this varies from place to place.
4. Search the registry of actions
Depending on your area, you may be able to manually search for the local registry of the act. This is the most common in New England and is not available anywhere, so please contact the county if you have any questions. Remember, if you look at it yourself, some states have separate registry districts. This adds a layer of complexity.
5. Visit your local library
Local public libraries can be a good place to inspect real estate records. Some libraries have directories of old cities, historical archives, maps, and other materials that were owned or resided at certain addresses. Librarians can help you find these resources and point out useful records or databases.
6. Use the title company
If the county can’t help you figure out who owns the property, the next step is to go to your local title company. “Title companies are experts in real estate information placement,” said the team at Redfin Company’s Title Forward. “They usually don’t get involved in the transaction until they have signed a contract until the property is sold. At that point, they search for the property title and identify any issues with the current owner’s title.”
If you’re happy to use it, some companies offer pre-contract search services for a fee. Please check if you would like to provide such services to your local title company.
7. Payment for online services
If you are committed to purchasing abandoned property or empty lots, a paid online property search service is a great option for finding an owner. Many property data tools can also provide contact details and information regarding land registration, as long as they identify the current owner and only provide the address and owner’s last name. You can also discover existing liens and obligations. This can help guide you through the next step.
However, online services are expensive, often complex and full of jargon. If you take this route, be prepared to invest a considerable amount of time and money.
8. Please consult a mailing list broker
Mailing List Broker is a paid online information collection service that is perfect for collecting large amounts of information and outreach. Mailing List Brokers collect detailed property information for marketing and real estate purposes. If you are searching for information about one or more properties, you can pay to provide ownership and contact details to these services.
Please note that these services can be expensive and incomplete.
9. Reach out to a real estate agent or real estate investor
Real estate agents or real estate investors may already have access to a list of information they otherwise have to pay. If you have friends or family who are real estate agents, consider asking for favors. Agents can also provide advice if you are navigating online services.
10. Please consult a real estate lawyer
If the search is complicated (such as addressing inheritance disputes, title issues, or unregistered land), real estate attorneys have additional resources or contact information within the county to help you find the owner.
11. Chat with your neighbor
Depending on the property or the rural area of the land, talking to your neighbors is a good way to know who owns the property. They may know who owns the land, how to reach them, or their history and past owners. Even if they don’t have all the details, they may point you in the right direction.
12. Walk and leave a note
If everything else fails, try knocking on the door of that perfect home or leave a note if no one is home. You may meet your current owner or talk to someone who knows the owner. If no one answers, consider leaving a message in your contact information.
This is the most risky and most direct way to find out who owns the property, but it’s quick and easy to get the answer. However, be aware of your privacy. Some property owners may be cautious about unsolicited inquiries. Keep out of the way and always respect boundaries of respect.
Final thoughts
Finding out who owns the property can be confusing, so let’s sum up.
In most cases, you can easily find information by searching online. Many governments have free and easy to use resources if this doesn’t work. The next step is to contact the county clerk’s office. As long as the counties in which the House is registered often slow to respond to requests, they often have taxes, titles, and certificate records. If it’s taking a while, ask about a brokerage, title company, or paid online service to find the information you need.
When searching for properties, always be careful of companies that use incorrect information or bad practices. Please do not get in the way. Please talk to the county if you have any questions. If you are talking to your neighbors or going to the property in person, don’t forget to be kind, polite and understand.
Discovering who owns the property is usually easy and has many benefits. You can assure you that you are talking to the legal owner of the property, and you may be able to convince them to sell even if they are not on the market.
