Property Title Searches in New York (NY)
The state of New York has almost 21 million residents and is the fourth most populous state in the nation. Almost half of the population lives in or around New York City, the most populous city in the U.S. New York title searches are commonly referred to as NY title status, New York state title search, New York title lookup, or property lookup, or property title search – These common phrases refer to a title search.
- There is no database summarizing or listing all the valid liens & deeds that can be checked. Instead, one must search the land records starting at some date in the past, and then up to the present day, making notes of each.
- Title searches must be done at the county level, as each county keeps its own property records. Because of this, the steps and tools needed to search can vary from one county to another.
If you need 5 or 5,000 searches per year, send us the contact form. Why? We’ll make your life easier…
- Management – Do in a few clicks what takes hours now. All in one spot. Automatic tracking, delivery, naming, saving, storage, finding, communicating, and payment.
- Fulfillment – We can add your search vendors into our marketplace, or you can use those already there.
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What Is a New York Title Search, and What Services Are Included in One?
A residential or commercial property search in New York includes verification that a continual (unbroken) deed chain exists, meaning that evidence was found that all buyers did convey all their interests to all sellers, for every deed of record during the period of the
property’s history that is searched.
- The purpose (refinance, purchase, foreclosure) of the search determines the search length.
- The resulting search report will also list all open mortgages, judgments, liens, tax assessments, tax amounts, and their payment status, easements, etc. Additionally, foreclosure case documents are provided when a foreclosure action is present.
Types of Liens Found in New York Boroughs
Sidewalk Liens, Environmental Control Bureau (ECB), and Department of Buildings (DOB) violations, as well as Water and Sewer delinquencies, are common in the boroughs of New York.
Sidewalk Liens/Violations
A sidewalk violation is an official notice issued by New York City’s Department of Transportation to a property owner, stating that the sidewalk is defective. If inspectors determine a sidewalk is unsafe, they issue a notice of violation. These violations attach to your real estate until repaired or paid.
ECB Liens/Violations
ECB violations are issued when a property is not in compliance with construction codes or zoning resolutions as set out by the New York City Construction Codes or Zoning Resolution. The Department of Buildings issues the violation notices. Each violation will include an order to correct the cited conditions, and some may require certification of said correction.
DOB Liens/Violations
A notice determining that a specific property is not in compliance with the law. A DOB violation includes an order for correction from the Commissioner of the Department of Buildings and is added to the Department’s Building Information System. To get either a new or amended Certificate of Occupancy, the DOB violation must be corrected.
Delinquent Water and Sewer Rent
If the water balance goes unpaid, the city will consider it a lien against the property. New York State General Municipal Law allows municipalities to impose a sewer rent fee on real property. Sewer rents constitute a lien on the date payable, upon the real property served by the sewer system or such part or parts thereof for which sewer rents have been established and imposed, and such lien shall continue thereon until paid or satisfied.
Depending on the address, some of these bills may be combined. Or, you could pay taxes on one property to four different jurisdictions.
What Is the Difference Between a Title and a Deed?
Novices often think that real estate has a similar title to a vehicle or a boat. But that’s not so. A vehicle’s title is a document that shows the name of the owner. A property’s title means all records that may give a party an “interest” in that property. Interest can mean ownership or rights to use of the property or rights to some portion of a property’s sales proceeds.
- The only way to find all these documents that grant these rights is to perform a title search on the property.
- A deed is one such document, and it shows a sale that took place between what parties. Deeds and other documents affecting a property’s interest (aka “title”) are filed in the county records where the property is located.
- There is no database summarizing or listing all the valid liens & deeds that can be checked. Instead, one must search the land records starting at some date in the past, and then up to the present day, making notes of each.
Read More:What is The Difference Between a Title and a Deed?
How Are Taxes Collected in New York?
If the property is located in one of the boroughs, that’s good news: the county collects property taxes. (Boroughs include Bronx, Kings/Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, Staten Island/Richmond). Counties outside the boroughs can have several taxing entities that assess taxes separately and therefore must be paid separately:
- There will always be a town and/or city tax.
- There will always be a county tax.
- There will always be a school tax.
- There may also be a village tax.
Depending on the address, some of these bills may be combined. Or, you could pay taxes on one property to four different jurisdictions.
Trusted Title Searches with Title Leader
Whether you’re purchasing, refinancing, or investigating a property’s history, Title Leader is your reliable partner for fast, accurate New York title searches. With deep expertise in NY property records, Title Leader helps uncover liens, deeds, judgments, and more, giving you the clarity you need for confident real estate decisions.
- There will always be a town and/or city tax.
- There will always be a county tax.
- There will always be a school tax.
- There may also be a village tax.
Start your title search today at TitleLeader.com – your trusted source for professional, efficient title services across New York.
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