NY Title Search — NYC & NY State

A title search examines the public records associated with a property to verify legal ownership and uncover any claims, liens, or encumbrances. In New York City, title records are primarily maintained through ACRIS (Automated City Register Information System), the city's official recording system for real property transfer documents.

Traditional title searches in NYC cost between $250 and $500 per property and can take 3-7 business days. Title companies and real estate attorneys typically order these through abstract companies that manually research and compile the reports. RegWatch searches 10.9M+ properties across New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, and builds ACRIS title abstracts on demand from $15 for properties in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx.

RegWatch generates comprehensive title abstract reports by pulling and organizing ACRIS data with daily refresh. Each abstract includes:

• Current ownership and vesting
• Complete chain of title (deed transfers)
• Active mortgages and assignments
• Satisfactions and other recorded releases
• Tax liens and DOF balances
• OATH/ECB judgments docketed against the property
• Building violations and open permits
• Zoning and land use restrictions
• Certificate of occupancy status
• Environmental flags
• Executive summary with risk assessment

Each abstract is available as a professionally formatted PDF, ready for client presentations, closings, and due diligence packages.

ACRIS covers Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx. Staten Island deeds and mortgages are recorded with the Richmond County Clerk, so they aren't in ACRIS. Federal tax liens (filed in the ACRIS UCC register) and County Clerk filings such as lis pendens aren't included either, so order those searches separately when they matter. Outside NYC, reports show recorded sales where the county or town publishes them; mortgage and lien records are NYC-only.

A title search is the process of examining public records. A title abstract is the written summary of what was found. RegWatch automates both — searching ACRIS and 10 other city databases, then generating a structured abstract report.

While RegWatch provides powerful preliminary research, it's important to note that our reports are not a substitute for title insurance. They're ideal for deal screening, pre-acquisition due diligence, portfolio monitoring, and quick-turnaround client requests.