How to Find Out Who Owns a Property

Finding the property owner is useful to real estate investors looking to gain an edge on properties that have yet to hit the market. By researching off-market houses or commercial buildings, investors can expand potential investment opportunities and potentially secure better deals. If you’ve purchased a property, you may need to identify property owners to negotiate rights and easements regarding properties that border your own.

If knocking on the front door doesn’t help you track down property ownership information, there are four resources you can use to get the information you need.

1. 1. City or county recorder: Many counties keep an up-to-date archive of property deeds at the county recorder's office. You can find this office in a county courthouse or a standalone recorder's office. In some cities, property deeds reside within a city archive, often at the official city hall. City and county clerks can steer you toward public information resources to aid your title search. Some operate websites with property search tools that can save you a trip to the recorder's office.
2. 2. Tax assessor's office: Most municipalities levy a property tax on houses and commercial real estate. A county assessor's property tax records can help you identify the current owner of a specific property. Their office also keeps records of tax liens. The assessor (sometimes called an appraiser) will want the mailing address of the property, as well as the assessor's parcel number (APN) if you know it.
3. 3. Title companies: A title company works with real estate agents to verify property ownership. As such, their company files may include current property owner information along with titles from previous owners. The records of an individual title company may be less comprehensive than those of the county recorder, however.
4. 4. Real estate marketing brokers: If you’re seeking information about a property that is listed for sale, a realtor may be able to help you find ownership information. These realtors use databases—such as a multiple listing service (MLS)—to track all on-market properties in a specific area. They can also quickly tell you if a home is in foreclosure. Real estate brokers may be less useful in tracking down property owners whose homes are not actively on the market.

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