How Can I Verify if Someone Owns His Home?
Whether you are looking to find out if a neighbor is a renter or owns the home he lives in, verifying that the person selling a house owns it, or inquiring about who owns a particular house for other reasons, it is possible to verify this information. The ownership of a house is a matter of public record, which you can access via the Internet or a phone call to the correct department in your county or city.
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Instructions
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Instructions
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Obtain the full address of the house, including the ZIP code. The street address is usually displayed on the house itself. Determine the ZIP code by visiting the USPS ZIP Code lookup website.
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Input the ZIP code on the U.S. Census Bureau's website to determine the county in which the home is located.
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Contact that county's tax assessor's office. Consult the county's website for a directory listing contact information for the tax assessor. Some counties offer online access to tax records, while others require that you visit their office. The person who owns the home is listed on the property tax records. Unless the home was purchased very recently, this information should be accurate.
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Contact a title company if the home has been sold recently and the tax records have not yet been updated. In some cases, a title company will help you with this for free, but others may charge a small fee. Title companies have up-to-date information in their files on recent title changes. Any title company can locate these records for you, but if you are looking for information on an out-of-state home, choosing a large, nationwide title company may expedite the process.
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Hire someone who is an expert in researching public records if you prefer to let someone else do the legwork. Most of these services charge a flat fee and will provide you with a comprehensive report on the ownership of the home. Ask the title company to provide you with the name of a title abstractor you can hire to perform your search.
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Tips & Warnings
It is your right to access public records; if someone is not being helpful in your search, ask to speak to a superior.
Home ownership is a matter of public record, but be sure to be respectful of the residents of a home when doing your research. Do not trespass on private property.
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