If you’re interested in uncovering a property’s history online, you’re in the right place. We’ve compiled a range of methods \u2014 from consulting experts to exploring various sources \u2014 to help you discover a property’s background.<\/p>\n
\n\n\n\n\n Buying and selling real estate is a complex task. A top real estate agent can serve as an invaluable transaction coordinator during steps like the title search and deed transfer.<\/p>\n \n Whatever type of listing<\/a> the house is, you should be able to find some important details about its history. A full 100% of buyers<\/a> searched online to find additional information about homes they were considering purchasing, according to the National Association of Realtors.<\/p>\n You can find the listing for the house you\u2019re interested in by Googling its address.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen buyers look into the history of a home, they\u2019re concerned with the issues that can arise,\u201d says William Barker<\/a>, a top-selling agent in Omaha, Nebraska<\/a>. \u201cAre there foundation issues? When was the roof replaced? Is the title clear of liens? You don\u2019t want to be surprised by a hidden problem.\u201d<\/p>\n A title should tell you the age of the house and whether it has ever been remodeled. If appropriate permits weren\u2019t filed for certain remodel projects<\/a>, the information may not be accurate, though. The title should also reveal whether the house has certain appliances, such as a garbage disposal or dishwasher.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re curious whether the hardwood floor is original, a title should have that information. It may even detail what type of materials were used for the siding and roofing of the house. If the roof is covered in asphalt shingles, then you know it\u2019s going to have a shorter lifespan<\/a> and the insulation won\u2019t be as good.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re more interested in knowing what various prices a house has sold for over the years, then the multiple listing service<\/a> (MLS) can help you with that. The MLS is a real estate database that generally has fairly comprehensive information curated from multiple resources, including the homeowners themselves.<\/p>\n MLS listings<\/span><\/a> will have details about the house, such as the materials used for the roof and siding, how many parking spaces are in the garage, and other variables that are good to know about a listing. It\u2019ll show you both the sales history of the house and the different prices at which it has sold. However, this information will often only go back as far as the mid-1990s.<\/p>\n \u201cThe biggest issue is the liens,\u201d Barker says. \u201cA house could have builder\u2019s liens or contractor\u2019s liens. Because liens go with the property, you could end up having to hire a real estate attorney<\/a> and having a huge legal battle to get the liens fixed. That\u2019s why you need a detailed title search.\u201d<\/p>\n Nadia Aminov<\/a>, a top real estate agent in Baltimore, Maryland<\/a>, always helps her clients search the MLS because she not only has access to more information as a broker, she also understands it at a deeper level.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have access to land records,\u201d she says. \u201cYou have to create a profile to be a member in order to search for a deed that\u2019s been recorded or a lien that was placed on the property. A buyer can get access to the database, but it might be just a little bit confusing to navigate. You have to have some experience with this to understand what things really mean in context.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Are you curious what secrets a house holds? Learn how to find the history of a property online in this guide filled with resources.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":171,"featured_media":38307,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[192,629,633],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15246","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-for-buyers","category-home-financing","category-property-values"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n![\"homelight](\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/ccprototypev5\/images\/logo-small-cta.png\"){kind=logo}
\n <\/div>\n \n Find an Agent to Help You Navigate the Paperwork<\/h3>\n
The listing<\/h2>\n
The details are what matter<\/h3>\n