How to Check if Your Home’s Title is Secure Online
Your home’s title is a public record, which means that with a little effort, you can check on its status yourself to ensure no unexpected or fraudulent documents have been filed. Performing a manual check is a good way to get a snapshot of your title’s health.
This guide provides a simple, step-by-step process for checking your property records online.
Step 1: Identify Your County’s Recording Office
All property records are maintained at the county level. The office responsible for this is usually called the County Recorder, County Clerk, or Register of Deeds. To begin, you need to find the official website for this office in the county where your property is located.
A simple web search for “[Your County Name] county recorder’s office” or “[Your County Name] property records” should lead you to the correct website.
Step 2: Find the Online Records Search Portal
Once you are on the official county website, look for a link or button that says “Online Records Search,” “Public Records Search,” “Property Records,” or something similar. Most counties now offer a free public portal to search for documents.
Step 3: Search for Your Property
The search portal will give you several ways to find your property. The most common methods are:
- By Owner Name: Search for your full name. This will show you all documents filed under your name in the county.
- By Property Address: Enter your street address to see documents specifically related to that property.
- By Parcel Number (APN): If you know your property’s Assessor’s Parcel Number (you can find it on your tax bill), this is often the most accurate way to search.
Step 4: Review the Document History
The search results will show a list of all documents that have been officially recorded for your property. This is your property’s “chain of title.” You should see familiar documents like your original deed when you purchased the home and your mortgage.
What you are looking for is anything unfamiliar or suspicious. This could include:
- A recent deed or title transfer that you did not authorize.
- A lien from a contractor you’ve never heard of.
- A second mortgage or HELOC that you did not take out.
The Limitation of a Manual Check
Performing this check can provide valuable peace of mind. However, it is crucial to understand that this is only a snapshot in time. It tells you what the status was on the day you checked. A criminal could file a fraudulent deed the very next day, and you wouldn’t know about it until your next manual check.
Why DomiDocs is the Superior, Automated Solution
Manually checking your title is time-consuming and inefficient. DomiDocs offers the automated, “set it and forget it” solution that provides true security.
Our Home Title Monitoring service performs this check for you, continuously, 24/7. You don’t have to remember to visit the county website or sift through records. We do the work for you. The moment a new document is filed against your property, we send you an instant alert. DomiDocs transforms a periodic, manual chore into a constant, automated shield, providing the most reliable and convenient way to ensure your home’s title is always secure.
HomeLock™ is the one Property Fraud Protection service that CAN notify you before, during, and immediately after fraud occurs. If more homeowners had HomeLock™, we wouldn’t see so many scammers like this husband and wife who have defrauded dozens of homeowners!
See how DomiDocs and HomeLock™ can protect your home in this Press Release! This layered approach protects both your legal ownership and your financial identity. For more information, read our article on how HomeLock™ can protect you from Title and Deed Fraud.