How To Do A Title Search

Its good to see such good info posted keep it up.

Goes around. You all here give me a lot of wonderful info and I've been able to actually sort thru it all, so its my pleasure to help back when I can.

Beth

Sandycheeks, Very vital info, I am glad that someone has gone the extra mile to share with the rest of us. Thank you for your extra work, and this goes in my notebook so I don't look so confused at the county office building....Thank You....Jan

Yeah, I Know excatly what you mean. Anything I can do to help and I will post more as I learn it

Beth

Your Realtor should also be able to get you the APN# and owner of record using the property address. This info is available on most MLS services.

Al

Sandycheeks, just wanted to emphasize that you are referring to a phase one search. It is always recommended that a full title search/title insurance be received on a property after you have it under contract and before purchasing to be sure there aren't any title problems.

Thanks, I am bird-dogging right now so I was refering to the first step in checking out a property as a bird-dogger. The info you provided is very true if your at a further point in investing than I am or others who may be bird-dogging as well. title insurance would come later after one locks it up, am I correct, please lpease correct me if Im wrong. Im learning too.

Beth

Most of the information you get at the county tax assessors office can be located online through the tax assessors web site. Georgia and California have a multitude of information on there. Where I live they still use horse and buggy as their main mode of transportation so the online information is lacking to say the least.

Roni

My aim is to acquire a two-family brick foreclosure for a family home. Could someone refer me to any particular area in Brooklyn NY where I could receive a copy of the foreclosure listing. Thanks

If it is foreclosure listing (meaning after auction) you can receive them using a real estate agent. They will do a search for foreclosed, bank owned or REO properties and they will provide quite a list. Foreclosures become listed property once they don't sell at auction 95% of the time. So they will be placed on the MLS. If you are wanting a list of Lis Pendens notices (before auction) you can go to nyc.org. In the process of foreclosures, Lis Pendens notice is given to the owner notifying them of foreclosure and it has to be recorded. Hope this helps

I have asked my real estate agent about foreclosure properties in Brooklyn. She informed me that they are usually carried by the banks, and they will want to include your name on a list should the specific property (based on your description) become available. She also said you have to wait a long time. I feel that she really do not want to sell a foreclosed property, for fear of less commission. Is this really the case?

just wanted to say thanks for setting evereything str8 everyone. im new and was wondering how to do the title search it looks like people have put all the info that you need on this site and it is very helpful to us all so thanks again everyone.

Thanks for the information!

I don't know why the agent did not want to deal with bank owned properties. In my area, nearly all properties listed are REO, and they offer agents a full commission. Bank owned properties tend to take longer to close, but they are usually the most discounted. Maybe you need a new agent.

Al

To my understanding, there is a difference between a finders fee and a fee for assigning a contract. Especially in terms of compensation.A finders fee tends to be about 500-1000 dollars and assigning a contract you can sell for what you feel is deserved to you. Being the assignment is a good deal you got under contract from the seller. Some one correct me if I am wrong. It appears to me to be a difference.
Thanks Kingjuss,

Where I live (ny)I can see who owns the property and what they paid by using a city Site http://www.nyc.gov/html/dof/html/jump/acris.shtml. I don't know if it is available in any other states.

In my area the "Notice of Trustee Sales Recorded" provided to me by my RE agent provides me basically EVERYTHING I could ever need re: the current owner/property!!!

So if I find an APN# and get the deed will that tell me exactly who is paying it. The house I am looking at has been abandoned for two years. The tax office shows the original owners still paying taxes but from another address in town. I have contacted the owners but have had no response. I need to find out who owns this house. Is it them or the bank. How can I come across this info. Thanks, Lee

Your thoughts would be correct. You can find out who own the property as you have described. However, sometimes the courthouse in not as quick as we hope or the name of ownership is listed as a trust or company. Those would be harder to get around. What is a successful way for that I have used before is to drive to the property, get out of the car and knock on the door and neighbors doors. The renters and neighbors often can give a great background on the property and who owns it as well as where they live and the phone number.