Property Records Search: How to Find Property Owners and Public Records

What is a Property Records Search?

A property records search allows you to access public information about real estate, including current and previous owners, sale prices, tax assessments, liens, and property characteristics. These records are maintained by county recorder offices, tax assessors, and other government agencies across the United States.

Whether you're a real estate investor researching potential deals, a sales professional prospecting property owners, a skip tracer locating individuals, or simply curious about a neighborhood property, understanding how to conduct thorough property searches is an essential skill.

What Information Can You Find in Property Records?

Property records contain a wealth of publicly available information. Here's what you can typically discover:

• Current owner name and mailing address: The legal owner of record and where tax bills are sent
• Property address and legal description: The physical location plus the official surveyor's description
• Sale history and prices: Previous transactions, dates, and amounts paid
• Tax assessment values: Both land and improvement values used for property tax calculations
• Property characteristics: Square footage, lot size, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, year built
• Liens and encumbrances: Mortgages, tax liens, mechanic's liens, and other claims against the property
• Ownership history: Chain of title showing previous owners

Some advanced searches also reveal contact information like phone numbers and email addresses associated with property owners, which is particularly valuable for business development and outreach purposes.

Free Methods to Search Property Records

County Assessor and Recorder Websites

The most authoritative source for property information is your local county government. Most counties now offer free online access to their property databases. Simply search for your target county name plus "assessor" or "property search" to find the official website.

The interface varies significantly by county. Some offer sophisticated mapping tools and detailed records, while others provide only basic tax information. Larger metropolitan areas typically have more robust online systems, while rural counties may require phone calls or in-person visits.

Zillow and Realtor.com

Real estate listing sites like Zillow and Realtor.com aggregate property data and make it searchable. While they're designed primarily for home shopping, they provide useful information including estimated values, tax history, and sometimes ownership details. However, their data isn't always current and may be incomplete for properties not recently listed for sale.

Using Galadon's Property Search Tool

For a streamlined experience, Galadon's Property Search tool provides comprehensive property information including owner names, phone numbers, emails, and address history for any US address. Unlike piecemeal county searches, this centralized tool aggregates data from multiple sources and presents it in an easy-to-use format.

The tool is particularly valuable when you need contact information for outreach purposes. If you're a wholesaler looking to contact off-market property owners, a service provider marketing to homeowners in specific areas, or a researcher building a database, having phone and email data alongside property records saves considerable time.

Paid Property Search Databases

When free sources aren't sufficient, several commercial databases offer more comprehensive coverage and advanced search capabilities.

PropertyShark

PropertyShark specializes in urban markets and provides detailed property reports, ownership information, and sales comparables. Their service is subscription-based with pricing that varies by market. It's particularly strong for commercial real estate research and offers features like property ownership portfolios that show all properties owned by a single entity.

DataTree by First American

DataTree offers professional-grade property data with nationwide coverage. It's popular among real estate investors, appraisers, and title professionals. The platform includes advanced filtering options, batch searches, and skip tracing features. Pricing is usage-based, typically requiring a subscription starting around several hundred dollars monthly.

CoreLogic and Black Knight

These enterprise-level platforms serve mortgage lenders, title companies, and large institutions. They offer the most comprehensive data but come with significant costs and often require contracts. Most individual users won't need this level of access.

How to Search Property Records by Address

The most straightforward property search starts with an address. Here's the step-by-step process:

Step 1: Identify the county where the property is located. If you're unsure, a quick Google search of the address will reveal the county.

Step 2: Navigate to the county assessor's website or use a centralized tool like Galadon's Property Search to avoid jumping between different county systems.

Step 3: Enter the full street address. Most systems allow searching by address, owner name, or parcel number (also called APN or tax ID).

Step 4: Review the results. You'll typically see the current owner, assessed value, tax amount, and property details. Look for links to view the full property record or tax bill.

Step 5: For contact information beyond the mailing address shown in tax records, you may need additional research tools or databases that cross-reference ownership with phone and email data.

Finding Property Owners for Business Purposes

Sales professionals, investors, and entrepreneurs often need to contact property owners directly. Here are specific strategies:

Building Targeted Lists

If you're targeting a specific neighborhood or property type, use county records to identify properties matching your criteria. Many county sites allow filtering by characteristics like year built, property value, or last sale date. Export these lists and then enrich them with contact data.

For example, wholesalers often target properties owned for more than 20 years, inherited properties, or homes with tax liens. Each of these criteria can be identified through property records and used to build focused outreach lists.

Cross-Referencing with Contact Databases

Property records typically show owner names and mailing addresses, but direct phone numbers and emails require additional steps. Tools like Galadon's Mobile Number Finder can help locate cell phone numbers once you have a name, while dedicated property search tools often include contact information directly in their reports.

Handling Out-of-State Owners

When the mailing address differs from the property address, you've likely found an investor or landlord. These out-of-state owners are often more motivated sellers and may be excellent prospects for investment opportunities. Note their location and adjust your outreach strategy accordingly, as they may be managing the property remotely and open to selling.

Understanding Property Record Documents

Deeds

A deed is the legal document transferring property ownership. The most recent deed shows who owns the property and how they acquired it. Common deed types include warranty deeds (most common for sales), quitclaim deeds (often used for transfers between family members), and trustee's deeds (resulting from foreclosures).

Mortgages and Deeds of Trust

These documents show loans secured by the property. You can see the lender, loan amount, and recording date. Multiple mortgages may indicate the owner has heavily leveraged the property, which could signal financial stress or opportunity depending on your purpose.

Tax Records

Property tax records show the assessed value, tax rate, and payment status. Delinquent taxes are public record and can indicate a distressed owner who might be motivated to sell. Tax assessments also provide clues about property improvements and value changes over time.

Advanced Property Research Techniques

Reverse Property Searches

If you have an owner's name but need to find all properties they own, a reverse search is essential. Most county sites allow searching by owner name, though you'll need to search county-by-county. Commercial databases like PropertyShark and DataTree offer portfolio searches that show all properties owned by an individual or entity nationwide.

Historical Records and Chain of Title

Understanding a property's ownership history can reveal patterns. Properties that change hands frequently might indicate flipping activity or problematic issues. Long-term ownership followed by sudden listing might suggest estate sales or life changes creating selling motivation.

The chain of title, available through title companies or county recorders, shows every ownership transfer and encumbrance throughout the property's recorded history.

Combining Property Data with Background Checks

For due diligence purposes, especially in business transactions, you might want to verify the property owner's identity and background. Galadon's Background Checker can provide comprehensive reports including trust scores, which help confirm you're dealing with legitimate parties in real estate transactions.

Legal Considerations and Ethics

Property records are public information, but how you use this data matters. Here are important ethical and legal guidelines:

Fair Housing Laws: If you're in real estate sales or marketing, you cannot use property records to discriminate based on protected characteristics. Your outreach and targeting must comply with Fair Housing Act requirements.

Privacy Respect: Just because information is public doesn't mean aggressive contact is appropriate. Follow do-not-call regulations, honor opt-out requests, and maintain professional communication standards.

Data Accuracy: Property records can contain errors. Always verify critical information before making decisions or taking action. Cross-reference multiple sources when accuracy is essential.

Purpose Limitations: Some databases restrict how you can use their data. Review terms of service, especially for commercial databases, to ensure your intended use is permitted.

Common Property Search Challenges and Solutions

Trusts and LLCs as Owners

Many properties are owned by trusts, LLCs, or other entities rather than individuals. This obscures the actual decision-maker. To identify the real person behind an entity, search the business registration records with your state's Secretary of State office, which will show registered agents and members.

Outdated Information

County records update at different speeds. Recent sales might not appear in online databases for weeks or months. If information seems outdated, call the county recorder or assessor's office directly for the most current data.

Inconsistent County Systems

With over 3,000 counties in the United States, each maintains records differently. Some are fully digitized with excellent search functionality, while others have limited online access. For difficult counties, consider using a commercial database that has already aggregated and standardized their data.

Incomplete Contact Information

County records show mailing addresses but rarely include phone numbers or emails. This is where specialized tools become valuable. Property search platforms that include contact enrichment save hours of manual research when you need to reach owners directly.

Choosing the Right Property Search Method

Your best approach depends on your specific needs:

For one-off searches: County websites are free and authoritative. Use them when you need basic information about a single property.

For regular property research: A centralized tool like Galadon's Property Search eliminates the hassle of navigating different county systems and provides consistent, comprehensive results including contact information.

For professional investors: If property research is central to your business, consider professional databases like DataTree or PropertyShark that offer advanced filtering, bulk searches, and portfolio analysis.

For contact-focused outreach: When your primary goal is reaching property owners for sales, marketing, or investment purposes, prioritize tools that include phone and email data alongside property records.

Understanding property records opens doors to opportunities in real estate investing, sales prospecting, market research, and due diligence. Whether you're using free county resources or sophisticated commercial databases, the key is knowing what information you need and where to find it efficiently. With the techniques outlined in this guide, you can conduct thorough property searches that support your professional goals while respecting legal and ethical boundaries.