Hiring a title company or attorney for a full title search typically costs $250–$500+ per property. If you are screening deals, doing preliminary due diligence, or simply curious about a property's ownership history, you can do much of this work yourself using free public records. Here is how, jurisdiction by jurisdiction.
What a Title Search Actually Involves
A title search is the process of examining public records to determine:
- Who currently owns the property
- The chain of ownership transfers (how the property got to the current owner)
- Outstanding mortgages that have not been satisfied
- Liens — tax liens, judgment liens, mechanic's liens, federal tax liens
- Easements and restrictions recorded against the property
- Lis pendens (pending lawsuits involving the property)
- Any other encumbrances that could affect clear title
A professional title search typically goes back 40–60 years. For a preliminary DIY search, going back through the current owner's chain of title is usually sufficient to identify red flags.
DIY Title Search: New York City (5 Boroughs)
Step 1: Find the Owner on DOF
Start at the NYC Department of Finance property tax portal. Search by address to find the current owner of record, BBL (Borough-Block-Lot), and tax status. This confirms the basic ownership information and gives you the identifiers you need for deeper research.
Step 2: Search ACRIS for Recorded Documents
The Automated City Register Information System (ACRIS) at a836-acris.nyc.gov is the main tool. ACRIS covers Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx. (Staten Island deeds are recorded at the Richmond County Clerk's office and are searchable through the NYS Court System's office.)
In ACRIS, search by BBL to see all recorded documents for the property:
- DEED / DEEDO: Ownership transfers. The most recent deed shows the current owner. Walk back through prior deeds to trace the chain.
- MTGE (Mortgage): Outstanding mortgages. Look for corresponding ASST (assignments) and SAT (satisfactions). An unsatisfied mortgage is still outstanding.
- FEDL (Federal Tax Lien): IRS liens filed against the owner.
- LPE (Lis Pendens): Pending lawsuits affecting the property.
- MCLIEN (Mechanic's Lien): Claims by contractors or suppliers.
- EASE (Easement): Rights granted over the property.
- AGMT (Agreement): Various agreements recorded against the property.
Click any document to view the scanned original — free of charge.
Step 3: Check for Judgment Liens
Judgments filed in the county where the property is located create liens. Search the NYS Unified Court System e-Courts portal for the owner's name to find any civil judgments.
Step 4: Check for Tax Liens and Outstanding Charges
Return to the DOF portal and check for outstanding balances. Also check the DOF tax lien sale list — if the property is on the list, there are unpaid city charges that may be sold as liens.
DIY Title Search: Nassau and Suffolk Counties (Long Island)
Nassau County
Use the Nassau County Land Records Viewer (LRV) at lrv.nassaucountyny.gov to search recorded documents. The LRV indexes by party name, not address, so start by looking up the owner's name on the Nassau County Assessment website first. Then search the LRV for deeds, mortgages, and liens filed by or against that owner.
Suffolk County
The Suffolk County Clerk provides online access to recorded documents at clerk.suffolkcountyny.gov. Search by name, date range, or document type. Suffolk also maintains a separate tax map portal through the Suffolk County Real Property Tax Service Agency.
DIY Title Search: Westchester and Hudson Valley
The Westchester County Clerk's Office provides online land records through their portal. Search by name or document type to find deeds, mortgages, and liens. Putnam, Rockland, Orange, and Dutchess counties have varying levels of online access — some offer full search portals, others may require in-person research.
DIY Title Search: New Jersey
NJ recorded documents are maintained by each county's Clerk or Register of Deeds. Start by finding the Block and Lot number from the municipal tax assessor or county tax board website. Then search the county clerk's online portal (Bergen, Hudson, Essex, Middlesex, and Monmouth all have online search capabilities).
Key NJ-specific considerations:
- Search for NJ State tax liens (filed by the NJ Division of Taxation) in addition to federal liens
- Check for NJ lis pendens at the county clerk's office
- Review the SR-1A sales data for the property's transaction history
DIY Title Search: Connecticut
CT is the most challenging jurisdiction for DIY title searches because recorded documents are maintained by individual Town Clerks (169 towns), not at the county level. You must know which town the property is in and contact that specific town clerk.
Many CT town clerks now offer online land record searches through vendors like Cott Systems or LandRecords.com. Check searchiqs.com for participating towns. Towns with online portals allow you to search grantor/grantee indexes and view recorded documents digitally.
What to Look For (Red Flags)
- Gaps in the chain: If ownership jumps from A to C without a clear transfer from B, there may be a missing deed or recording error.
- Quitclaim deeds in a sales chain: A quitclaim deed offers no title warranty — it may indicate the seller knew about title defects.
- Unsatisfied mortgages: A mortgage without a corresponding satisfaction of mortgage is technically still a lien, even if it was paid off.
- Recent transfers at below-market prices: Could indicate fraud, duress, or non-arm's-length transactions.
- Multiple lis pendens: Ongoing litigation involving the property is a serious red flag.
- Tax lien sale inclusion: Indicates significant unpaid charges.
Important Limitations
A DIY title search is useful for preliminary research, but it is not a substitute for a professional title search and title insurance. Key limitations:
- You may miss documents indexed under variant name spellings
- Some encumbrances (like unrecorded easements or prescriptive rights) will not appear in public records
- Judgments may be filed in different counties than where the property is located
- You will not have the expertise to interpret complex title issues
Use a DIY search for deal screening and preliminary research. For any actual transaction, get a professional title search and title insurance.
The Faster Alternative
RegWatch's free title search instantly shows the current owner for any property in our coverage area, free with no account. The full ownership history, mortgage records, and lien data — hours of manual research automated — come with a Full Analysis report or RegWatch Pro. Sign up free to save buildings and get change alerts.