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Answers (13)
- BungalowMo
- Contributions:232
When I bought my place, I wanted to find out the history as well. I went to the courthouse & ran a full deed search. I found all the way back to 1912, when the original farmers' son had a huge chunk of land & sold it off in .25 acre plots. My original property owner bought 2 plots from the son in '12, then sold it 3 years later & within a year my house was built. You can narrow down time frames because all of a sudden the deed will show the land "with improvements", which is the home.
I even ran searches for all the PO's wills, marriage records, and found them all up the hill in the local cemetery!
I also agree with going to the local historical society. I found some newspaper clippings on some of the family members, but I've still yet to find any photographs. :0(
My place looked pretty much just like the day it was built, the first time I saw it! No additions added on. The only obvious change was the bathroom & someone did a really bad 80's upgrade.
I ripped that out & now it's all back to about a 1920's era.
It's amazing what you can find on a property by checking local offices. Also, talk to some of the older neighbors on your street. They can be a wealth of information!
I even ran searches for all the PO's wills, marriage records, and found them all up the hill in the local cemetery!
I also agree with going to the local historical society. I found some newspaper clippings on some of the family members, but I've still yet to find any photographs. :0(
My place looked pretty much just like the day it was built, the first time I saw it! No additions added on. The only obvious change was the bathroom & someone did a really bad 80's upgrade.
I ripped that out & now it's all back to about a 1920's era.
It's amazing what you can find on a property by checking local offices. Also, talk to some of the older neighbors on your street. They can be a wealth of information!
- sunnyview
- Contributions:25139
The local historical society or recorder's office can often steer you to old records on microfilm that are based on census information and old land surveys/ownership records. That is a great way to find out more about how the land was used in the past. Some offices also have old ariel photos that help too.
- westlinnhome
- Contributions:7
I am curious about more than just the building itself. How about the real estate, the land itself? How can one find out about the complete historical data on the tierra?
- sunnyview
- Contributions:25139
You can get a chain of title yourself from a local title company without any Realtor. It is as simple as a phone call.
- Aram Arakelyan, "aarake6533"
- Contributions:15
Your local REAlTOR should be able to get a chain of title from title company for you.
Aram Arakelyan
Your LA Broker For Life!
Realty Needs Network
[website deleted by Zillow moderator.]
Aram Arakelyan
Your LA Broker For Life!
Realty Needs Network
[website deleted by Zillow moderator.]
- Thomas Crimmins, "Staten Island NY"
- Contributions:928
You can use property shark :]
- sunnyview
- Contributions:25139
I would contact your local building department hereand ask what records that they have available. Sometimes you can find the history of a house back as far as 50-100 years depending on your local building department. Some departments even have old ariel photos of neighborhoods that might show your house.
- Craig 4321, "Craig4321"
- Contributions:87
Depends on the age of the home. Online records usually only go back so far, but you can go to the county office in person or possibly apply by mail for the entire history. I recently viewed the contents of a file for a house in Apple Valley, California that had all sorts of information in it, aside from past owners.
- Rex Fuller, "COREXRE"
- Contributions:110
And from another angle ...... you can call your local police department and inquirer if they have any records regarding the home to determine if there has been any break-ins, home envasion, drug related issues, etc. Many city and towns have records going back for a number of years (even decades) due to legal and insurance matters, that will provide information on fires, lightening strikes resulting in damage or fires, flooding (if the FD was called to pump out a basement, etc). So don't pass up opportunities like this to find out 'home history' that may be tracable to other information sources like past insurers, remodel or repair companies, etc. Its like sifting for a puzzle ..... but the pieces are often hidden and need to be discovered. I know - I own a home that is nearly 100 years old and I am amazed at the information I have found on the home ...... via local sources.
Have fun .....................
Have fun .....................
- Jeff Grenz, "Jeff Grenz"
- Contributions:245
There are not always building permit records older than a decade or 2, as most were kept, if they were kept at all, as paper records until it was economically and technically feasible to record on microfiche.
Often, the county assessor will have some pretty detailed records dating from the initial construction. In prior decades, personnel from the assessors offices would visit projects several times during construction, to monitor and to verify the actual improvements completed. It wasn't their job to alert the building department whether all work was permitted, but it certainly was their job to make sure all work was included in the property assessment.
Examples: In the 50 year old property I bought, the building department has nothing, but the assessor produced 4 pages of hand written spreadsheets, updated annually, noting the year the home was completed (1957) the year the patio was enclosed (1959) and the year the 400 square foot structure was built in the rear yard. These would be important to me so I can avoid paying permits for these structures again, there's a record the county was aware of them and the assumption would be they're permitted.
Often, the county assessor will have some pretty detailed records dating from the initial construction. In prior decades, personnel from the assessors offices would visit projects several times during construction, to monitor and to verify the actual improvements completed. It wasn't their job to alert the building department whether all work was permitted, but it certainly was their job to make sure all work was included in the property assessment.
Examples: In the 50 year old property I bought, the building department has nothing, but the assessor produced 4 pages of hand written spreadsheets, updated annually, noting the year the home was completed (1957) the year the patio was enclosed (1959) and the year the 400 square foot structure was built in the rear yard. These would be important to me so I can avoid paying permits for these structures again, there's a record the county was aware of them and the assumption would be they're permitted.
- sunnyview
- Contributions:25139
Many offices have that information online. I would contact your local building department here and ask what records that they have available. Doing a permit check is a smart thing to do from a maintenance perspective, but it also helps you avoid any nasty surprises with unpermitted work or additions.
- Stan Smith, "Gold Country Roofing"
- Contributions:5
Also check wth the County Building Dept as they should have documentation on any permits and inspections done on the home.
- wetdawgs
- Contributions:26854
At the county recorders office you can get history of owners and purchase prices.
You can only get history of things that were permitted. Many repairs and modifications don't require permits and even when they do they are often skipped.
You can only get history of things that were permitted. Many repairs and modifications don't require permits and even when they do they are often skipped.
how can i find complete history on a residence since it was built?
Is their a location where a person could acquire as to all past owners of a property, the year they purchased the property, how much, renovations made if any (such as roof work, plumbing, add on"s and problem situations with property) to the property over the years?
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