Any tricks for finding out who owns a property?

Alcazar84

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I know sites like Zillow can give you an idea of the status of a property, but are there any sites online that will tell you who owns a property?
 
Many county websites....auditors , tax asessors , etc. have a GIS map system where you can locate the property , get a parcel number , and find not only the owners but sometimes lots of other information on it too. Some are a little confusing and others are straight forward and simple , though if you are not familiar with them they can take some experimentation to figure out.
 
In ny, both state and some counties offer GIS info in the form of searchable online gis maps. Here they're at gis.ny.gov and at gis.dutchessny.gov. They offer aerial,photos that can be compared, even side by side.
If I search on "parcel access" I get a map I can move and adjust to find my property. If
i zoom in I can see my lot lines. Everybody's lot lines are there, and there are id numbers printed so you can identify the owner.
 
Here's one method: You put a "This property for sale" sign on the Lawn (or by the entrance gate, etc...). Put your phone # on the sign. Then ... when someone calls you to object, then .... presto: You have the owner's contact info. and name now :laughing:
 
Like others said, use the tax assessor, sometimes they even have maps by the county that you can click on to find out about the owner.
 
Here's one method: You put a "This property for sale" sign on the Lawn (or by the entrance gate, etc...). Put your phone # on the sign. Then ... when someone calls you to object, then .... presto: You have the owner's contact info. and name now :laughing:

:laughing::laughing::laughing:
 
Like others said, use the tax assessor, sometimes they even have maps by the county that you can click on to find out about the owner.

I use ONXHunt app. It shows owners as well as addresses.

I use a combination of these two. As many have noted, the local county tax assessor or auditor's web site is a primary source for owner information (and much more) for a particular property. It's usually the very first place I check when doing full blown research on a new property from home.

But I also use onXHunt heavily in the field - the mobile phone app is perfect for getting property owner information on the fly. I can't count how many times I've used it to pull up owner info when I randomly pass a promising looking location while out driving. I've found that most county auditor/tax assessor web pages aren't mobile phone or tablet friendly (at least here in NW Ohio), so onX really shines for field use in comparison.
 
Go to your local clerk of courts,and purchase a platt book..it has every property outlined on the map of your county,and the owner listed.i think I paid$20 bucks for mine
 
I use a combination of these two. As many have noted, the local county tax assessor or auditor's web site is a primary source for owner information (and much more) for a particular property. It's usually the very first place I check when doing full blown research on a new property from home.

But I also use onXHunt heavily in the field - the mobile phone app is perfect for getting property owner information on the fly. I can't count how many times I've used it to pull up owner info when I randomly pass a promising looking location while out driving. I've found that most county auditor/tax assessor web pages aren't mobile phone or tablet friendly (at least here in NW Ohio), so onX really shines for field use in comparison.


onX is actually linked to tax assessor info.
 
onX is actually linked to tax assessor info.

Exactly - just in a much more user-friendly format for quick access in the field, in my opinion. I was skeptical how useful it would be when I was first trying the app out, but I quickly came to truly appreciate it! Well worth the annual subscription :yes:
 
I know sites like Zillow can give you an idea of the status of a property, but are there any sites online that will tell you who owns a property?

I'm in Massachusetts, and in these parts, each city or town maintains their own database of property owners (out of their town Assessor's Office).
When I see a property I'm curious about, I make a note of the address and then Google "town name assessor" (substitute your town or city in that search string). Usually before I finish typing, Google's suggestions have found the town's assessor database web site. Once there, they usually have a couple of ways to narrow down the search to the lot or parcel you are interested in, i.e., by street name and number. Once you get the summary, by address, there may be a link to a parcel map that allows you to click and select each parcel, bringing up the owner information for that address. Typical information I see is: Owner, owner's mailing address (sometimes different than the address in question), Assessed value, lot size, sales history, description of property, year built (if it's a house or other structure), and other pertinent facts. I was just doing this last night in fact, for a property I drive by all the time, just outside Boston. The home was built in 1850, but the owner lives in Connecticut, so it might be rented. I now have the means to contact the owner.
What if there is no house on the property and therefore you don't know the street address ? Where I live, it is fairly densely populated with homes or businesses, so I just get the address of the closest home on that street or around the corner and type that into the assessor's database query page and then use the map feature to navigate to the property I'm interested in. Sometimes, the land is owned by the municipality, or a non-profit group, but at least I have found the owner and can plan my next step. I use assessor's databases all the time, from many towns all around me.

And, best of all, I haven't paid a dime for any of this information.

Here's an example of a page I might find on a property search as described above. It even shows a photo of the house and floor plan.

http://gis.vgsi.com/DedhamMA/Parcel.aspx?Pid=2435

Good luck.

Jim
 
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But I also use onXHunt heavily in the field - the mobile phone app is perfect for getting property owner information on the fly. I can't count how many times I've used it to pull up owner info when I randomly pass a promising looking location while out driving. I've found that most county auditor/tax assessor web pages aren't mobile phone or tablet friendly (at least here in NW Ohio), so onX really shines for field use in comparison.

How much is this ONXHunt? Also, once you find the owner info, how do you get their contact info?
 
How much is this ONXHunt? Also, once you find the owner info, how do you get their contact info?

Seems like it’s $40 per year per state.

What you do is use location services in the app to find your location. Make sure layers is turned on to private parcels. You can add other layers, but it gets cluttered. Then touch the parcel you’re interested in and it’ll show you land owner, address and size of the parcel.
 
Seems like it’s $40 per year per state.

What you do is use location services in the app to find your location. Make sure layers is turned on to private parcels. You can add other layers, but it gets cluttered. Then touch the parcel you’re interested in and it’ll show you land owner, address and size of the parcel.

Ok... cool. So then what, just phone book or 411 from there? Or does the software give contact info too?
 
Ok... cool. So then what, just phone book or 411 from there? Or does the software give contact info too?

With the address and name of the owner in hand from the app, I generally just go door knocking. Far more effective, in my opinion and experience, than a phone call or letter. Occasionally there’s a snafu - sometimes the owners use a P.O. Box for their address, for example - and I need to get more creative. In those cases, sometimes a simple Google search of the owner’s name coupled with the town is enough to net a valid street address.
 
With the address and name of the owner in hand from the app, I generally just go door knocking. Far more effective, in my opinion and experience, than a phone call or letter. Occasionally there’s a snafu - sometimes the owners use a P.O. Box for their address, for example - and I need to get more creative. In those cases, sometimes a simple Google search of the owner’s name coupled with the town is enough to net a valid street address.

Good stuff. Thanks for taking the time and sharing. I'm definitely on a quest to learn how to better utilize my iPhone and other technologies beyond phone calls, Netflix, and video slots. ;)
 
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