How to Locate a Property Owner in Georgia

Review real estate deeds to find out who owns a property.

In 2009, the U.S. Census reported the population of the state of Georgia as 9,829,211, with a total of 4,026,082 housing units and a home ownership rate of 67.5 percent. When a person purchases property, the deed is recorded in the county where the property is located and the information is available for the public to review. There are 159 counties in Georgia and each county maintains data on real estate and land records for public knowledge. According to the National Association of Realtors, 175,600 pieces of property sold in the first quarter of 2010.

Things You'll Need

• Internet access

Instructions

1. Get the property address to find out who owns a specific piece of real estate. Drive by the property or if you have the telephone number at the location, then conduct a reverse telephone look-up on Internet, such as White Pages, by inputting the address phone number. The search results will usually provide the property address where the phone is registered. You can conduct this search free of charge. You will also need to get the name of the county where the property is located. To find the county of a particular property, visit websites like NETROnline.

2. Call the county clerk's office and ask how you can search property records and deeds. The state of Georgia is divided into 159 counties that keep records for local real estate. Also, most counties have websites that allow you to search real estate records without traveling to the office.

3. Ask a real estate agent who is licensed in Georgia to search the multiple listing service (MLS) for the owners of a property. The multiple listing service is an online real estate database. This database includes a public records section that licensed real estate agents can review property deed information that includes names of the owners, real estate tax data, details of the mortgage, and physical characteristics of the property. Most real estate agents will conduct this search for free. However, you may have to explain why you want this information. Some real estate agents could question your intent for acquiring this data to adhere to professional ethics and protect the privacy of the owners.

References

• U.S. Census Burea: Georgia State & County QuickFacts
• Geogia.gov: List of Counties
• National Association of Realtors: What's the Value of Homes Sold in Your State?
• Fulton County: Board of Assessors
• RealEstateABC: The Multiple Listing Service

Resources

• White Pages: Reverse Phone
• NETROnline: NETR County, Latitude/Longitude, and Quad Map Locator