Free method for doing title search and checking liens/back taxes?

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Patrice Penda
Investor · Hoboken, NJ · Member since 2016 · 464 posts · 179 votes
8y
Originally posted by @Patrick Martone:
Originally posted by @Patrice Penda:
Originally posted by @Patrick Martone:
Originally posted by @Patrice Penda:

@Patrick Martone

Just like you, I had the same need for a website where I could do title research and check liens and records of properties.
While there are several paying website where you can get that info, it can very expensive very quickly to do get full property records.

Now here is the thing, liens, mortgage documents and deed are recorded by the clerk of the county where the property is located. Those properties records are public records you can have access if you go the County clerk's office. By law ( I believe), they have to make those records accessible to the public.

The good news is that some counties make those records freely available to any one over the Internet to take a look at.
Many counties still don't (which is very surprising in today's age).

So depending on the county you are interested, it might be a matter of just checking the county clerk's website.

The county of Monmouth in NJ for example has a website.
http://oprs.co.monmouth.nj.us/Oprs/clerk/ClerkHome...

With regards to property taxes, this is handled by municipalities.

To check the status of property taxes, you have to go to the website of the municipality.
Again, some towns have the information freely available for anyone to access on their  website.

Let me know if you need further info.

Patrice

Patrice is my mothers name, great name. 

So I have been using the consolidated records section of this site for searching.I can't find any leins, mortgage info, or back tax info on these foreclosed properties. It just has assesed value and ownership info.

What do I use for instrument number, book number and page number? How would you utilize this site effectively?

 Thanks,

Pat

Hey Pat,

Which website link are you looking at precisely?
And I'll tell what key to use.

 http://oprs.co.monmouth.nj.us/Oprs/index.aspx

I entered the address on the consolidated record search on the home page to find the owner. Then entered the owner's name in the property records link (which you sent me). 

Lets use 306 Deal Ave in Neptune, New Jersey as a sample. The owner name PLUMMER, CHRISTOPHER N SR 

Upon entering it in the property records, there are documents of mortgages aggreement and pending foreclosure (LIS PEDENS). 

I found this property on the sheriff site. I will be attending an auction Monday for practice. How would you use the info provided form the record search?

First, it is important to stress that title research is a very tedious exercise and you want to make sure you know what to look for and correctly interpret the records at county clerk that you find.

The point of the exercise is to establish whether following a successful bid at the sheriff sales you'll get the title of the property free and clear.

And if you are not, you want to know what liabilities you'll be inheriting.

When looking at the records, you want to know what are all the liens attached to the property

If the lender foreclosing is the first position mortgage

Is there a tax lien (federal, municipal, etc.) attached to the property?

It is a detective exercise.

Hope it helps.

Let me know if you need further info

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  • Neal Collins
    Developer · Portland, OR · Member since 2014 · 732 posts · 490 votes
    8y

    @Daniel Gonzalez You don't need corporate credentials, but you do need to get a sales rep to create an account for you. If you don't have a relationship with an escrow company sales rep yet, then put that at the top of your list. This is definitely someone whose sole job it is to give you tools and resources to help your business. In return they would like you to close your transactions with them. 

    As a previous poster mentioned, this is not an app that can do title abstracting to research the chain of title. We leave this up to the title company and typically opt for title insurance.

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  • Daniel GonzalezPro Member
    Real Estate Investor · Maplewood, NJ · Member since 2017 · 127 posts · 47 votes
    8y

    good to know @Neal Collins appreciate the response. Just another thing I'll add to the list. 

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