How to Find Out Who Owns a Property

Fancy yourself walking around the neighbourhood and you see a property that you think suits your style and personality. 

You look at it, and you just know you have to get that property. But before you get to that, you have to find out who owns it. 

There are several ways to determine who owns a property – from public records to professional services.

In this blog post, we will share some of the best ways to know who owns a property so that the next time you see a place you like, you can approach the owner and see if you can eventually call it your own.

All the Information You Need to Search for a Property Owner

Before you search for a property owner, gather as much information as possible.

Street Address

It is the most fundamental piece of information you need, and you can usually find it on the property’s listing or in public records.

Parcel Number

Also known as a Property ID, this number is generally associated with tax assessments and parcel maps and is often accessible through online property searches.

Legal Description

It describes the exact boundaries of a property, including any structures and features.

Once you have all the information, you can begin your search for the property owner. You can use several methods depending on your specific needs and budget.

Ways to Find Out the Owner of a Property

Check out the local County Tax Assessor’s Office

You can find the most reliable source of information at your local county tax assessor’s office.

You will get access to records that will be helpful in knowing the property owner’s name and contact details. There is no need to do extra legwork as you can already get the essential information.

Avail the services of a private investigator

If you’re still in a bind with finding the owner, try tapping a private investigator. Through professional help, you will get access to crucial details such as name, address, and other contact information quickly and easily.

Most private investigators have access to databases with reliable information from both public and private sources. It allows them to find information quickly that would be hard or even impossible to find without the help of these databases.

In addition, private investigators are skilled in making connections across the web and using techniques such as skip tracing for helping to track down individuals who might be purposely elusive. 

With their tools and resources, a private investigator can become an invaluable asset in your effort to uncover the owner of any property.

Visit the County Recorder

Another option is to check with your county recorder or clerk’s office. These offices usually keep detailed records of property transactions. They can provide all the information you need regarding property ownership in their county. 

You will get a wide range of information, such as parcel owners’ names and addresses, associated mortgages and liens, acreage details, and more.

Most of the paperwork for purchasing any land is on record with the local government, so there are no hidden surprises later on down the line.

Check with a Local Title Company

Local title companies specialize in keeping track of who holds the legal ownership of properties in a given area. They will help you determine the rightful owner of a house, building, or another parcel of land. 

For them to be able to help you, simply provide them with the address or location, and they will be able to quickly give you the name and contact information for the current owner and any other individuals associated with that particular property.

Check with mailing list companies and mailing list brokers

A resourceful way of finding out who may own property is by finding out who’s receiving the mail. 

Checking with mailing list companies is an out-of-the-box solution to determining who owns a property. While there may be some data privacy roadblocks, these guys will know who’s living on a particular property.

Go to a Tax Assessor

You can quickly locate the owner’s name by looking up deeds, titles, and tax data. The information can also tell you how long someone has owned the land and whether or not they are using it for commercial or residential purposes.

Check your local library

Many public libraries have access to databases that contain real estate records, so this may be the easiest way to get the information that you need. 

Alternatively, you can also search online for websites that specialize in providing public real estate records. While these resources are often free to use, note that there are times when fees or charges may apply.

Ask a real estate agent

Most real estate agents have access to information on who owns specific properties in your area, as they often work with clients and property owners regularly.

Real estate agents can give you valuable insight into the ownership of various properties in your neighborhood.

Whatever method you select for finding out who owns a property, always do your research and take the time to carefully consider all your options before making a decision. 

Best Websites for Finding Property Owners Online

If you’re more of an online researcher type, these websites may help you find the property owner you are looking for.

Netronline

A well-known site, Netronline comes with a wide variety of data search options, and users can quickly and easily uncover a wealth of information about any given property. 

If you are on the lookout for property investments, NETROnline has a lot of helpful tools like the Property Data Store.

Property Radar

You can use Property Radar, to search for a property by address or city. The site can uncover details like who owns the property, how much they owe in taxes or mortgages, and recent sale prices.

PropertyShark

PropertyShark is an invaluable online resource for gathering the information needed to contact property owners. To use it, enter the address of the property.

You will see a comprehensive report containing detailed public records about the respective property, including owners’ full names, mailing addresses, contact details, pictures, and even signed mortgages.

Melissa Lookups

Melissa Lookups makes searching for property owners easier with just an address.

You can find the owner’s name, whether there is a current resident or tenant on the property, its assessed value, how many square feet it occupies, and a visual map to provide additional context.

Searchbug

The site makes it easy for property owners to find detailed records about their addresses. Customers get information such as the owner’s current name and mailing address by simply entering the address into a search form.

Users can go even further by leveraging Searchbug’s reverse address search to obtain property records with more in-depth details.

By clicking the “Order Details” button next to an address record, users get access to a comprehensive report they can use for various purposes.

PropertyScout.io

With access to over 140 million properties across the US, PropertyScout.io is one of the most extensive databases.

Property.io provides unlimited access to detailed information about properties, such as ownership records, tax records, zoning laws and permits, deed history, and more.

Conclusion

Finding a nice property that suits you is one thing, but finding that property’s owner can prove to be quite the challenge. But as they say, if there’s a will, there’s a way.

There are several different ways to find out who owns a property. Each method has its benefits. Consider your options carefully, do your research and ask for knowledge and insight from others in the industry.

Aside from the traditional methods, you can do an online search using various tools and platforms such as Netronline, PropertyRadar, PropertyShark, Melissa Lookups, PropertyScout, and Searchbug.

Each of these sites has its unique set of features and information that can help you in your quest to find the owner of any property.

All it takes is some knowledge, resourcefulness, patience, and the right tools to find the owner of the property that you can eventually call your home.