REAL ESTATE LAW

How to Find Information on Property Owners for Free

By Editorial Team

October 19, 2019

Reviewed by Michelle Seidel, B.Sc., LL.B., MBA

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How to Use a Name to Check for a Property Owner

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People sometimes need to find information about property owners for various reasons. They often want to know who owns a particular property they are interested in, or they need the address of a property owner to contact him or her about an issue that has arisen.

Alternatively, someone may have a person's name and want to find out what property he or she owns. Many websites offer free information on "anyone, anywhere," but serve up extremely limited facts unless you buy some sort of service. With some light searching both online and in person, you can find most of the information for free.

​Read More:​ How to Find the Property Owner of a Street Address

Find the Address of the Property in Question

Find the address of the property for which you are trying to locate the owner. This may be done by visiting the property in person. You might be able to ask a neighbor of the property for the owner’s name. You can also use internet mapping services to find an intersection or landmark near the property and zoom in to find the street address.

Visit the Appropriate Property Appraiser Website

Do a web search and navigate to the property appraiser website for the county in which the property is situated. Locate the property information by searching using the street address of the property, owner’s name, parcel number or subdivision name. Most appraiser sites will give the address of the property owner as well as tax information and property valuation information.

Alternatively, visit the county property appraiser’s office in person as they may be able to help you to uncover more of the public information on a property than you can find online. They may also be able to give you tips for web tools available for properties in the area.

Use the Map Function, if Available

Use the map function on property appraiser websites that offer them. These map programs allow you to find the address of a property by zooming in on nearby properties and identifying the lots or parcels for which you are searching for further information. Depending on the site functionality, you can click on the target lot and find detailed information or simply find the address and enter it in the search form.

Do a Search by Owner Name

Find out what properties a person owns by using the person’s name in the property appraiser website search form. If she is listed as the owner of more than one property in that county, all of the properties will be listed and each can be researched for valuation, tax information and other details. For jointly owned properties, searches can be done using just one of the owner names.

Be aware that some people put their properties in limited liability companies to reduce the information available to the public. The LLC is listed as the property owner without revealing who owns the LLC.

​Read More:​ How to Use a Name to Check for a Property Owner

Tips

  • Develop relationships with the staff in the appraisers’ offices you visit and you can often get information by telephone that would otherwise require a personal visit.

References

Tips

  • The amount of information available on county property appraiser websites depends on the sophistication and functionality of the site. Larger counties in population centers usually yield more information on their websites. Visiting the county property appraiser's office in person will turn up all of the public information on a property.
  • Develop relationships with the staff in the appraisers' offices you visit and you can often get information by telephone that would otherwise require a personal visit.
  • Some people put their properties in limited liability companies to reduce the information available to the public. The LLC is listed as the property owner without revealing who owns the LLC.

Writer Bio

This article was written by Legal Beagle staff. If you have any questions, please reach out to us on our contact us page.

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