How to Search Property Records and Learn Everything About A House
A house can hold a lot of history. As a homebuyer, you probably want to know everything there is to know about the property you’re about to purchase.
You might not know where to begin if you’ve never searched public records. Here’s how to search property records and navigate the online and offline documentation — including what you might want to investigate.
What can you learn from property records?
There are several things you can learn from property records.
Any time a major change to the house impacts ownership, it’s recorded with the county or city. “Major changes” can include sales or transfers of ownership, tax liens, and changes to the home’s square footage if there have been additions to the property.
A property record search can also reveal information about the previous owners, property deeds, and even some personal information about the seller regarding divorce and bankruptcy.
A more extensive search could tell you whether the land where the property sits has any restrictions and who originally built the home; you might even dig up old photos of the home. For instance, the Los Angeles Public Library has a Housing Authority historic photo collection for Los Angeles County.
