How to Research a Tax-Sale Parcel Using Free County Records

Start with the parcel identifier

Every listing should include a parcel or account number. Use it — not just the street address — to search the property appraiser or assessor site. Confirm the legal description, lot size, land use code and assessed value, and note anything that doesn't match the listing.

Look at the map

County GIS viewers show the parcel's shape and neighbors. Slivers, landlocked strips, retention ponds and common areas sometimes appear at tax sales. Compare aerial imagery dates; they may be years old.

Search official records

The clerk or recorder's official records search can surface documents that affect a parcel:

• Deeds and transfers showing the ownership chain
• Mortgages, liens, judgments and lis pendens
• Code enforcement or municipal liens (sometimes held by a city, not the county)
• Easements, restrictions or HOA documents

Know the limits of public records

Online indexes can be incomplete, delayed or mis-indexed. Records rarely show physical condition, environmental problems, occupancy or access. Write down what you could not confirm; those open questions are part of your decision. A title professional or attorney can address questions records alone cannot.