Let’s say your client is looking to purchase their first house or investment property. You come across their ideal home, a perfect fixer-upper, or an area of land in an ideal place to construct a vacation home. One of the first steps is to find out who owns the property–information available through various sources. The truth is that property ownership information is a public record easily accessible online. Alternatively, it is possible to seek assistance from a real estate agent.
Why Would You Want To Find The Owner of a Property?
If your client is interested, it is advisable to speak with the owner to inquire if the house is currently occupied in any way, is for sale, or whether there are plans for selling soon. In the event that the home your client is considering is land, then contacting the owner should be part of your diligence. Verify that there are no prior issues or disputes regarding ownership.
Ways To Find Out Who Owns a Property You Want
If real estate transactions change hands, the local government typically records the details of the transaction recorded and becomes part of the public records. Below is a list of methods to discover who’s the owner of the property you’re interested in that are mostly absolutely free.
Check Your Local Assessor’s Office
The ideal place to start is on the web or in the office of the area’s property assessor. They keep a database of the details of real estate properties, including valuation of the property, assessments warranties, deeds of warranty, and more, and who the owner is.
Assessors are officials of local governments responsible for estimating the worth of a town or town, city, or village to correctly assess the property tax. Assessors record the assessed values in the role of assessment, which you can look over to find the latest assessment.
Check With the County Clerk
The property could not be included in the database of tax assessors. This can occur in certain circumstances. You should inquire with the county clerk’s office if that’s the case. It is the office of recorders. The county clerk is the recorder and custodian of vital public records like bonds, deeds, and other documents such as wedding licenses, marriage certificates, and birth and death certificates.
The county clerk usually maintains the records of deeds to the property provided you know the address of the property to conduct an inquiry. If you can track the deed’s location that you want to see, it must contain the owner’s title. It is important to note that, based on the length of time that has gone by from the date that the deed was filed or recorded, it could have been out of date. In addition, you might need to pay a modest cost to obtain these public records in the event that the county isn’t able to provide them online.
Asking Another Real Estate Agent
A seasoned real estate agent with extensive contacts within the market in which they are located will be able to access more listings than are publicly available. They could also know information about homes being considered to be sold.
Many real estate agents have turned to nationwide multiple listing services (MLS), which includes a wealth of information they may communicate with you about details about sales and listing. There isn’t a need to be able to provide ownership information. Still, a listing agent is who is associated with the property. In that case, they may contact them to learn more about the owner and their circumstances.
Search Online For The Property
Suppose you can pinpoint an exact address for the property. In that case, it is possible to use the internet to find the property’s owner. A variety of sites offer public information about properties for free. But be cautious with accessible sources online because the information could be inaccurate or unreliable.
Additionally, online databases can give you details about properties for a cost or a subscription. They can provide specific information on a particular property and who owns it.
Talk to a Lawyer
You can engage the services of a real estate lawyer to help you figure out who the proprietor of the house is and for the initial contact on your behalf.
Talk to the Owner or Neighbors
If you want to, call the door and request to talk to the owner or give them your contact info, even if the property isn’t their main home. It is also possible to contact neighbors to find out whether they’re willing to provide specifics about the owner or about the history of the property. However, this is the last option.
What To Do After You Find the Owner of a Property
If you’re trying to find a property owner/proprietor, be cautious about relying on incorrect or out-of-date details, and be sure you’re speaking to the owner. Take care, however, of not letting your excitement get you into hot water as well as snooping into someone’s privacy.
If you meet the property owner you are interested in, and they would be willing to sell, the next step is to be preapproved for a loan. Preapproval will inform you of the amount you could get to fund the cost of buying. Ensuring you can pay the down payment and closing expenses is also essential.
Then, consult with an agent or an attorney to create an offer for the house and ensure that you arrive at the table with minimum bumps. After your request has been accepted, the mortgage loan is subject to the process of underwriting. In the course of this process, the lender conducts an examination of your title to ensure the ownership of the property as well as ensure that the property is free and free from any encumbrances or disputes over the title.
