Researching Property Ownership

Step 1.
Go to the courthouse 

Step 2.
Go to tax rolls and research current taxpayer by:

  1. Name
  2. Address
  3. Tax I. D. Number
  4. Find taxpayer’s name, legal description, subdivision, survey name, etc…

 

Step 3.

  1. Print out or write down names and legal descriptions from tax rolls.
  2. Look at the names provided on the tax rolls and think of the different ways the County Clerk may have indexed the name.
    Example 3.1: Bob Jones may be Robert Jones; or, R. E. Smith may be Robert Earl Smith, etc.
  3. Look at the legal description and think of the different ways the County Clerk may have indexed the description.
    Example 3.2: James Levy Addition could be indexed as the William White Survey, A-836 because the subdivision is in that survey; or, the legal description may be in the document but the County Clerk indexed it as “See Instrument”

 

Step 4.
Go to Real Property/Official Records Grantee Index a/k/a Reverse Index or Indirect Index and enter correct names of the parties; Last Name/space/First Name or the name of the Company.

Example 4.1: When researching Robert Jones start with JONES R; the result will be all filings with JONES where the letter R is the start of the first name; after eliminating those possibilities then search JONES ROBERT

Example 4.2: When researching “Holder Machine Company” start with HOLDER M; the result will be all filings for “HOLDER MACHINE”. The word “machine” may have several abbreviations; “HOLDER MACHINE” may be indexed as HOLDER MACH.; HOLDER MCH.; HOLDER MA.; HOLDER MCN or may not be abbreviated at all

*IMPORTANT NOTE: WHEN LOOKING FOR A NAME IN A COUNTY CLERK’S INDEX LESS IS MORE. THE LESS YOU ENTER THE MORE LIKELY YOU ARE TO FIND THE INFORMATION YOU ARE SEEKING.

Step 5.
Look for document Type and Legal description of the name you are searching.

Types of Deeds and Abbreviations:
WD -  Warranty Deed
GWD -  General Warranty Deed
TD -  Trust or Trustee’s Deed
STD -  Substitute Trustee’s Deed
QCD -  Quit-Claim Deed
MD -  Mineral Deed
ROW -  Right of Way Deed
SD -  Sheriff’s Deed
Correc -  Correction Deed

Note: Abbreviations may be different in each county so it is important to familiarize yourself with the abbreviations used in the county you are researching.

When researching ownerships and conveyances instruments you can disregard the following:
D/T -  Deeds of Trust
NOTE -  Note Payable
NOTICE -  Notice (Tax Notice or other Notice)
RELEASE -  Release
PTL RELEASE -  Partial Release
FS -  Financial Statement
MM or ML -  Mechanic’s and Materialman’s Lien
AFFD -  Affidavit

Note: Many documents filed in the County Clerk’s office do not relate to conveyance of real property but these same documents may be used as a clue or shortcut for finding a deed.

 

Step 6.
Confirm ownership of property by researching the name in Grantor a/k/a Direct Index. If the owner found in the Grantee Index is not shown conveying the property then they apparently still own the property.

Step 7.
Order documents

Step 8.
Read document to determine:

  1. Name of Grantor
  2. Name of Grantee
  3. Legal Descriptions
  4. Date of Execution
  5. Date of Filing
  6. Confirm Document I. D. Number and/or Volume/Page
  7. What is being conveyed?