Whether you are eyeing an abandoned home to flip, trying to contact a neighbor about a fence line, or just curious about the neighborhood, finding out who owns a specific property is easier than you might think. Property ownership is a matter of public record, meaning the information is available to anyone who knows where to look
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How do you find out who owns a property?
Here are the 5 best ways:
Use an online property lookup tool like WhoOwnsThis.house for instant results.
Search the local County Assessor’s website using the property address.
Check the County Recorder or Clerk’s office to view public deeds.
Ask a local real estate agent to pull the records from the MLS.
Contact a title company for a comprehensive property title search.
Below, we break down exactly how to use each of these methods to find the homeowner you are looking for.
If you want to skip the clunky government websites and avoid driving down to the county courthouse, the absolute quickest way to find a property owner is by using a specialized online search engine.
We highly recommend heading over to WhoOwnsThis.house. This platform aggregates billions of public records, tax assessments, and real estate data into one simple search bar.
How to use it:
Go to WhoOwnsThis.house.
Type in the exact address of the property in question.
Instantly view the current owner's name, their mailing address, property history, and sometimes even contact information.
It is the most efficient way to get accurate data in seconds, saving you hours of navigating local government bureaucracy.
Every county has a tax assessor whose job is to determine the value of a property for tax purposes. Because property taxes are public record, so is the name of the person paying them.
To do this, search Google for "[County Name] Assessor Property Search." Most counties have a free online portal where you can type in the house address or parcel number. The results will typically show you the owner's name, the assessed value of the home, and where the tax bills are being mailed (which is incredibly helpful if the owner is an absentee landlord).
While the assessor tracks taxes, the County Recorder (or County Clerk) keeps track of legal documents, including property deeds.
When a house is bought or sold, a deed transferring ownership is recorded with the county. You can usually search these public records online by address or parcel number to find the most recent deed. This document will explicitly list the Grantee (the current owner). If your county hasn't digitized its records yet, you may have to visit the courthouse in person to view the physical archives.
Real estate agents have access to the MLS (Multiple Listing Service) and specialized tax software that the general public does not.
If you have a good relationship with a local realtor, you can simply give them the address and ask them to look up the owner. Because it only takes them a few minutes, most agents are happy to do this for free, especially if they think you might use their services to buy or sell a home in the future.
If you need legally binding, comprehensive information—perhaps because you are preparing to make an offer on an off-market property—you can hire a title company.
A title company will run a full title search to not only tell you who owns the property, but also if there are any liens, judgments, or secondary owners attached to the deed. Note that unlike the methods above, a formal title search will cost money, usually ranging from $100 to $250.
Finding a property owner doesn't require a private investigator. While county assessor websites and recorders are great traditional routes, they can be notoriously difficult to navigate. If you want the information instantly without the hassle, start your search at WhoOwnsThis.house to get the exact property ownership details you need today.
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