Find Land Online

Aspiring homeowners, entrepreneurs, and land owners need to know how to find out who owns a piece of land.  In addition to city and county government resources, the Internet is filled with websites that can help find land elevation, history, and land use.  

Land Purchase and Ownership Terms

Have you ever wondered “how do I find out who owns a piece of land?”  Before you find out who owns a piece of land, you should brush up on the lingo used by property owners and real estate agents.  Your first lesson should cover the depreciation of land value from past assessments.  Depreciation addresses the relative decrease in the value of land compared to assessed value in previous years.  Your search for quality land should filter out properties losing value to poor neighborhoods, environmental problems and failed upkeep by previous owners.  

Another important term that comes up during land searches is lien.  A lien is a claim made by a lender, government agency, or individual on a portion of the property for past debts.  Property owners who refuse to pay off debt and clear the lien can drag out the sales process for years.  As you find out who owns a piece of land, you should look for bank and government liens that can create a messy closing process.  

Local and county governments use terms like surveys, special assessments, and zoning ordinances in dealing with empty lots.  Every municipality has a city surveyor who is tasked with mapping out properties for elevation, zoning concerns and problems that need to be remedied.  These surveys can help you find land elevation which dictates drainage and building design.  Special assessments are property taxes levied on empty lots to offset the costs of new roads, electrical lines, broadband networks and other public expenses.  Zoning ordinances are directives from city councils that limit the size, shape, and use of empty land developed within municipal limits.  These terms should be studied carefully before acquiring a piece of property.  

Your Ad Here

Finding Land Use Information

As you search for land to purchase and you find land elevations, you will notice that not all properties are geared to the same purposes.  Cities use zoning ordinances to separate residential, retail and manufacturing functions so factories are not located near dense population areas.  The previous use of a property for sale is not limited to the previous owner’s activities but sewage drains, electrical lines and other public assets running through the property.  You can find land use information through local and state resources without setting foot in a clerk’s office.  You can also find land by legal description through the county clerk’s office.

The City of Seattle’s Department of Planning and Development is a good example of a municipal source a person can when learning how to find out who owns land.  The city’s Land Use Informational Bulletin (http://www.seattle.gov/dpd/Notices/Land_Use_Information_Bulletin/) is published twice weekly on the Internet to help buyers and sellers find land use information easily.  This bulletin is updated with permit applications, zoning decisions, easements, and variances approved by the city council.  The Land Use Information Bulletin also carries notices and other documents sent to property owners in regards to these decisions.  

California’s LUPIN (Land Use Planning Information Network) allows property buyers to find land use information online for every county in the state.  LUPIN (http://ceres.ca.gov/planning/) starts by asking users to search for properties by counties or bioregions.  After selecting a county, users can find information on existing buildings, drainage, animal habitats, and area history for quick perusal.  The comprehensive nature of LUPIN’s land use reports can help land developers, homeowners, and government officials figure out how empty properties can be used.  

Finding Property Ownership

Your best bet for finding out who owns a piece of land is to use PublicRecordFinder.com© (http://www.publicrecordfinder.com).  This invaluable resource connects buyers and land developers with public records available through thousands of towns and cities from California to Maine.  The PublicRecordFinder.com© process starts by asking the user for an address, city and state.  The result page for an accurate address combines all of the information available through public records without filling out endless paperwork.  

PublicRecordFinder.com© offers basic survey information like lot size, elevation and municipality that is used to filter out a majority of properties.  Searchers can use PublicRecordFinder.com© to access public records on owners including contact information, length of ownership and data about the existing mortgage.  The sales history offered by PublicRecordFinder.com© can illuminate quick turnarounds among owners that can be red flags for cautious buyers.  The most important data published by PublicRecordFinder.com is city assessments of property value, which shows the relative worth of the property on the open market.
 

Locating Land Elevation Data

While property values and ownership history may be important to buyers, land elevation can be equally important for builders and developers.  The topography of an empty lot can dictate the location, shape, and depth of subterranean elements like basements and drains.  If your property is located in high-elevation areas, you may need to develop your property so water drains smoothly from roof to sewer system.  You can rely on the United States Geological Service (USGS) if you need to find land elevation information.  

The USGS Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) (http://edc.usgs.gov/) is a great resource for finding land elevation information throughout the United States.  EROS offers several options for land elevation maps including top-down relief maps, cross-sections of properties and digital representations of land.  EROS users have to use geographical information systems (GIS) to read most maps but the extra effort is worth the trouble.  Public universities with geography and architectural programs may have computer labs with GIS that can be used to access EROS maps.  

Finding Properties for Sale Online

In addition to websites for real estate agents in your market, you can find land for sale online through websites like LandBidz© (http://www.landbidz.com) and Homes.com© (http://www.homes.com).  LandBidz© uses an online auction style akin to eBay© to facilitate land transfers between buyers and sellers throughout the United States.  The website features properties of all sizes complete with owner information and photos to help buyers locate their ideal properties.  Homes.com© is a more traditional listing service where buyers can track down homes, empty lots and other real estate using MLS numbers and addresses.  Visitors to Homes.com© can calculate mortgages, read about school districts and municipalities and narrow choices by price before selecting their favorite properties.