How Do I Find Information on the History of a House?

Find out about a house before you purchase it.

Discovering the history of a home is a long, tedious task, and it's not something that can be simply searched on the Internet. Although some of your search requires the use of the Internet, you will have to search in other places, too. If you are considering purchasing the property or house, make sure you have the house number or the plot number to begin your search.

Instructions

1. Find the house or property owner, if possible. In combination with the house number, you should be able to obtain all the records necessary to research the home.

2. Go to the county clerk's office in the county the house is in. This office holds all of the legal documents throughout the house's history. Obtain a copy of the registered deeds, which will notify you of previous owners, the dates they owned the property and when the house was erected. Included will be the description of the property for each owner. You might want to ask if there have been any recent building permits on the home to determine any remodeling.

3. Go to the county's tax and finance department to located the house's previous tax records. These records will show the house's details, such as square footage and the number of bedrooms, and give you the amount of taxes that were assessed on the house at any time. Any changes in the description of the home will help you recognize remodeling or expansions. You can also use these records to determine whether the house had any spikes in property value.

4. Search online for articles on the house. This will include any archived listings in the newspaper. This way, you can determine whether there have been any incidences involving the house.

5. Ask the neighbors. Neighbor information can aid in determining the history of a home, especially if they have resided in the neighborhood for a long time.

References

• Old House Web: History in Your House