How to Do a Title Search on a Property (Complete Guide)

What Is a Title Search?

A title search is a review of public records to determine the legal ownership of a property and identify any claims, liens, or encumbrances attached to it. Before any real estate transaction closes, a title search confirms:

• Who legally owns the property, verifying that the seller actually has the right to sell

• Whether there are any liens, mortgages, tax liens, judgment liens, or mechanic's liens that must be paid before or at closing

• Whether the chain of title is clean, a continuous, unbroken record of ownership transfers from the earliest recorded owner to today

• Whether any easements, restrictions, or covenants affect how the property can be used

Title searches are required by virtually every mortgage lender and title insurance underwriter before closing. Without a clean title search, you cannot get title insurance, and without title insurance, most lenders won't fund the loan.

Why Title Searches Matter, What Can Go Wrong Without One

Skipping a title search is one of the most expensive mistakes a real estate buyer or investor can make. Here's what can happen:

• Hidden liens surface after closing, a previous owner's unpaid contractor, tax debt, or judgment becomes your problem the moment you take title

• Ownership disputes, a prior heir, divorced spouse, or creditor claims an interest in the property you thought you owned free and clear

• Forged or defective deeds, a deed in the chain of title was improperly executed, forged, or signed by someone without authority

• Gaps in the chain of title, a missing conveyance leaves a period of ownership unaccounted for, creating an opening for a competing claim

• Municipal liens and code violations, particularly in tax deed investing, governmental liens that survive the sale and become the buyer's obligation

A title search identifies all of these issues before they become your problem. After closing, they become significantly more expensive, and sometimes impossible, to resolve without litigation.

How to Search Property Records Yourself

Most county property records are publicly accessible online or at your local county recorder's or clerk's office. Here's how to search them yourself:

Step 1: Gather the Basic Property Information

Before you start, collect:

• Full property address (street number, street name, city, state, ZIP)

• Parcel number (also called APN, Assessor Parcel Number, or Parcel ID)

• Owner name, if known

The parcel number is the most reliable identifier, it's assigned by the county assessor and stays with the land regardless of ownership changes. You can find it on the county assessor's website by searching the address.

Step 2: Find Your County's Online Records Portal

Every county in the United States maintains public property records. Most are now searchable online:

• County Recorder / Register of Deeds, where deeds, mortgages, and liens are recorded

• County Assessor, property tax information, assessed value, owner of record

• County Tax Collector / Treasurer, delinquent tax information, tax lien certificates, payment status

• Circuit / Superior Court, judgment liens, lis pendens (pending lawsuits), probate records

Search "[county name] county recorder online records" or "[county name] property records search" to find your specific county's portal. Many states have centralized portals that cover multiple counties.

Step 3: Search by Parcel Number or Owner Name

Using the county recorder's portal:

1. Search by parcel number (most reliable) or owner name

2. Review all recorded documents, deeds, mortgages, releases, assignments, liens

3. Note the grantor (seller) and grantee (buyer) on each deed to trace the chain of ownership

4. Look for any unreleased mortgages, open liens, or recorded judgments

Step 4: Build the Chain of Title

The chain of title is the chronological sequence of ownership transfers. Working backward from the current owner:

• Each deed should show the grantor matching the grantee on the prior deed

• Any gap in that sequence, a missing link, is a title defect

• Most title standards require searching back 30–60 years; some states require searching back to the original patent

Step 5: Check for Liens and Encumbrances

Beyond deeds, search for:

• Open mortgages with no recorded satisfaction or release

• Tax liens, both state and federal (IRS)

• Judgment liens, recorded in county courts by creditors who won lawsuits against the owner

• Mechanic's liens, filed by contractors who weren't paid for work on the property

• Lis pendens, notice of pending litigation that could affect title

• Municipal liens, code enforcement, water, sewer, trash (these may not be in the recorder's records, contact the municipality directly)

Step 6: Check Federal Records for IRS Liens

Federal tax liens filed by the IRS are recorded in the county where the property is located but must also be checked in federal court records via PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records). IRS liens can survive certain sale types, particularly tax deed sales, and represent a significant risk if overlooked.

How to Find Liens on a Property

Liens are legal claims recorded against a property as security for a debt. Here's where to look for each type:

Important: Municipal liens, code enforcement violations, water balances, sewer, weed cutting, abatement, are not always recorded in the county deed records. They exist only in city department records. To find these, you must contact each relevant city and county department directly, or order a municipal lien search from a professional title search company.

What Is a Chain of Title Search?

A chain of title search traces the complete history of property ownership from the current owner back through every prior owner, typically 30–60 years, depending on the state's title standards. Each link in the chain is a recorded deed showing one owner conveying the property to the next.

Why the chain matters: If any transfer in the chain was legally defective, improperly executed, signed by someone without authority, or missing entirely, it creates a "cloud on title." A cloud on title can prevent a sale, block financing, and require a quiet title action to resolve.

What a complete chain of title search identifies:

• Every owner of record going back through the search period

• All recorded liens, encumbrances, and claims against each owner during their period of ownership

• Any gaps, defects, or irregularities in the conveyance history

• Outstanding mortgages from prior owners that were never formally released

• IRS liens that may have attached during any owner's period of ownership

A full chain of title search is distinct from a Current Owner Search (which covers only the current owner's period of ownership), and it's what title insurance underwriters require before issuing a policy on most properties.

How to Verify Property Ownership

Verifying legal ownership of a property is straightforward using public records:

1. Search the county assessor's records, the assessor's database shows the name on the tax rolls, which is typically the current owner. However, the assessor's records can lag actual ownership changes by weeks or months after recording.

2. Search the county recorder's records, the most authoritative source. The most recent deed recorded for the property shows the current legal owner (the grantee on the last deed). Search by parcel number and filter for the most recent deed.

3. Review the deed itself, confirm the legal description matches the property you're researching, the grantor had authority to convey, and the deed was properly executed (signed, witnessed, notarized as required by state law).

4. Check for lis pendens, a lis pendens (notice of pending lawsuit) filed against the property may indicate a dispute over ownership that hasn't been resolved yet.

5. Check probate records, if a recent owner is deceased, their estate may still hold title. Property doesn't automatically transfer on death; it may need to go through probate or be conveyed by a personal representative before title is clear.

For investors: Verifying ownership before making an offer or bidding at auction is non-negotiable. A Current Owner Search from a professional title search company gives you verified ownership, open lien, and encumbrance information typically within 2–4 business days, faster and more reliable than a manual county records search.

How to Check Title on a Property, Step by Step Summary

If you want to check title on a specific property, here's the condensed process:

1. Get the parcel number from the county assessor's website using the property address

2. Search the county recorder's online portal for all recorded documents on that parcel

3. Identify the most recent deed, that's the current owner

4. Work backward through all deeds to trace the chain of title

5. Flag any open mortgages with no recorded release

6. Search for judgment liens at the county clerk of court

7. Check delinquent tax status at the county tax collector

8. Search federal records (PACER) for IRS liens

9. Contact the municipality directly for any code enforcement or utility liens

10. Compile all findings into a summary of ownership and encumbrances

Doing this yourself is feasible for a single property with a simple history. For investment properties, distressed properties, tax deed purchases, or any transaction where you need a documented, reliable record, hire a professional title search company.

Property Title Search Online, What You Can and Can't Do Yourself

Most county recorder portals are free to search online, and you can access a significant amount of information without leaving your home. Here's a realistic breakdown:

The practical limit of DIY: Online records are improving rapidly, but gaps remain. Older documents may only exist on microfilm or paper at the county office. Municipal liens don't appear in recorder records. Connecting all the dots into a coherent, defensible title report takes experience, knowing what a release looks like, what a defective deed looks like, and what's missing that should be there.

For transactions above a few thousand dollars in value, professional title search fees ($75–$300 depending on depth and county) are a small fraction of the deal size and the risk they eliminate.

What Is a Title Search Company, and What Does One Do?

A property title search company, also called a title abstractor or abstracting firm, specializes in researching public records and producing documented reports on property ownership and encumbrances. They are distinct from title insurance companies, though many title insurance companies order their searches from abstractors.

What a title search company provides:

• A documented search of all relevant public records for a specific property

• A report identifying the current owner, chain of title, open mortgages, liens, judgments, easements, and other encumbrances

• Turnaround times measured in days, not weeks

• Reports formatted for use by attorneys, title insurance underwriters, lenders, and investors

What a title search company does NOT provide:

• Title insurance (that's issued by a title insurance underwriter, companies like Fidelity, Stewart, Old Republic, or First American)

• Legal opinions on title (that requires an attorney in most states)

• Curative work on title defects (that's performed by attorneys or through quiet title actions)

Who orders professional title searches:

• Real estate investors performing pre-purchase due diligence

• Attorneys handling closings, estate matters, or quiet title actions

• Title insurance underwriters before issuing policies

• Lenders verifying collateral before funding loans

• Tax deed investors researching properties before auction

Blazer Title Search, Professional Property Title Searches for Investors

Blazer Title Search is a professional title search company built specifically for real estate investors. We produce fast, accurate title reports used by investors, attorneys, and title companies across the country.

Our Search Products

Current Owner Search, also called an O&E Report (Owners & Encumbrances). Covers the current owner's period of ownership: deed, all open mortgages, judgment liens, tax liens, IRS liens, HOA status, and recorded encumbrances. The standard pre-purchase due diligence tool for real estate investors.

Best for: Pre-auction research, wholesale deals, quick flip due diligence, tax deed pre-bidding

2-Owner Title Search, extends the search through the two most recent ownership periods. Identifies liens and defects that may have originated with the prior owner and survived into the current ownership.

Best for: Properties with recent ownership changes, REO and bank-owned properties, properties with a known prior lien history

Full Title Search, a complete chain of title search going back through the full required search period (typically 30–60 years depending on state). Identifies every ownership transfer, all recorded liens from each owner's period, and any chain defects. This is what your quiet title attorney needs.

Best for: Quiet title actions, tax deed post-purchase curative work, estate matters, lender underwriting

Turnaround: 2–4 business days standard. Rush service available.

Order a Title Search →

This content is provided for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Property records laws and recording practices vary by state and county. Consult a licensed real estate attorney in your jurisdiction for legal guidance specific to your transaction. Blazer Title Search is a title search company and does not provide legal advice.