Although it may seem overwhelming, there are numerous ways to find out who owns a building. In fact, you can actually find the property owner name and other important information you may need for your search. What is more, by finding property ownership records you can verify the ownership of a building.

  • Search Online

Searching online to verify ownership of a property can be a quick and easy tool to gather information. However, knowing where to search can save you a lot of time. Some of the best online resources include the government property assessor’s office and public records. For a quick and easy search, type “property records” in a search engine such as Bing or Google. Local property records should show up on your search list – the county office, government and sometimes the city.

City Hall

A local city hall is one of the top resources to verify ownership of a building. Generally, the city hall will have all the information that you need such as the name of the property owner, permits, leasing information, etc. In fact, the city hall sometimes has a Building Division office or other building departments that specialize in property. To verify the ownership of a building at city hall all that is needed is an address.

  • Assessor’s Office

Your local assessor’s office will have public record of an ownership name and information on some building structure characteristics. Generally, an assessor does not give out footprints or blueprints of a building unless you have proof that you are the owner. Oftentimes, public information includes property address, mailing address, owner’s name (sometimes secured), Assessor’s parcel number, exemption and assessed values, land use code, zoning code, tax rate area code, parcel maps and property characteristics. To view public records you can typically go into the office and use their self-service computers. Information over the phone or through email is usually limited to just a few parcels (questions) per day.

  • The Local Library

Often, the local library will have auditor materials that you can search for. In fact, a library and city hall will generally keep voting records as well as census data. Frankly, visiting the library can often be the fastest way to find property owner name.

  • Hire a Private Investigator

There are times when you cannot locate the property owner’s name or you simply do not have the time to search for the information that you need. In this case, the best option is to hire a private investigator. Although the agency may not be free, it is a sure way to get thorough and complete information. However, just be careful of the agencies terms, some will charge a fee regardless if they find any information for you.

  • Public Record Databases

There are actually free online services that can help you find the ownerships name of a business or piece of property. For instance, Free Background Check has an amazing database that can conduct a property ownership search by just typing in the address. In fact, it includes every state in the United States. Free Background Check also has other information that may be very useful like death records, court records and a free people search.