How to Access Property Records in Florida

If you own property in Florida or are interested in buying or selling Florida property, understanding how property records affect you will be handy. Dozens of property records impact you, your home, and the public view of you.

Florida property records are public, and anyone can review them. That is why you must know what your property records say about you and that they are accurate.

Because property records are public records, anyone can search for them without a reason. You have many available options when searching for property records. Some of the most common and most effective are government sources and commercial.

Government Sources

With most of the world digitized by now, many county clerks' offices have property records online, and the public can search through these websites. You can also check out the county appraiser's office or tax assessor's office website. You may find some of what you need in online court records. You could visit the county courthouse or county clerk's office to ask for copies of records.

Much of the U.S. is steeped in rich history. Property records can show information going back to when a piece of property was first owned. Some records may show that famous people owned specific properties. Historical properties may be subject to strict rules and must be maintained according to the historical society guidelines.

Online

Below are links to all the Florida county websites to search for public property records:

• Alachua
• Baker
• Bay
• Bradford
• Brevard
• Broward
• Calhoun
• Charlotte
• Citrus
• Clay
• Collier
• Columbia
• DeSoto
• Dixie
• Duval
• Escambia
• Flagler
• Franklin
• Gadsden
• Gilchrist
• Glades
• Gulf
• Hamilton
• Hardee
• Hendry
• Hernando
• Highlands
• Hillsborough
• Holmes
• Indian River
• Jackson
• Jefferson
• Lafayette
• Lake
• Lee
• Leon
• Levy
• Liberty
• Madison
• Manatee
• Marion
• Martin
• Miami-Dade
• Monroe
• Nassau
• Okaloosa
• Okeechobee
• Orange
• Osceola
• Palm Beach
• Pasco
• Pinellas
• Polk
• Putnam
• St. Johns
• St. Lucie
• Santa Rosa
• Sarasota
• Seminole
• Sumter
• Suwannee
• Taylor
• Union
• Volusia
• Wakulla
• Walton
• Washington

In Person

You can also visit the county courthouse, county clerk's office, or tax assessor's office to review records and request copies. Depending on how busy they are, they may charge a fee, and you might have to wait. You can also use the official county website to search for records.

To visit the county office in person, use this list to find the location and office hours.

Property records are public documents that anyone can access to learn about a piece of real estate. They are helpful before buying, selling, or investing in real estate. The records are legal documents showing land ownership, sales history, ownership history, and tax information.

Florida property records include extensive information about the property itself and its current and historical owners. The records are diverse, covering everything from land size and value to tax assessments, appraisals, mortgages, and legal issues affecting the land.

Florida public records include many different types. Those that deal specifically with property include:

Nothing is quite as lovely as owning your own home. Florida deeds prove home ownership. They link each property with its owner and historical owners. When searching for property records, you can trace the ownership all the way back to the first sale if you look hard enough.

Property owners are listed on many property records like deeds, liens, foreclosures, tax bills, appraisals, assessments, building permits, property insurance records, and more. Identifying a property owner using one or many of these resources is pretty straightforward. Try an online search to see what comes up. You will most likely see at least a few of the previous owners, if not the current one.

Ownership History Records

Whenever a property changes hands, there is a paper trail. That trail consists of purchase and sales agreements, deeds, liens, and other documents that outline who purchased what property from whom. Public records can piece together the entire ownership history from the first owner to the current owner. It may take a little digging, but it can be done.

What is a Chain of Title?

A chain of title refers to the entire ownership history of a piece of property. There should be no gaps at any time; someone has always owned the property. However, title searches sometimes reveal a broken chain of title.

Public property records come in handy when buying or selling real estate. You can find out a lot of information by doing a little research. Some of the most common uses for property records in real estate transactions are as follows.

Before buying any property in Florida, perform your due diligence by thoroughly researching it and looking for any title issues, breaks in the chain of title, liens (other than mortgage liens), foreclosures, or boundary and other legal disputes.

It makes sense to find out how the value of the property and the value of other properties nearby have changed over time so you don't overpay. You can also review plats and maps and see the property boundary lines before placing your offer.

When selling a property in Florida, you must disclose certain information to potential buyers. These include failing or disabled systems (HVAC/plumbing/electrical) and whether the house has asbestos or lead paint. These disclosures will appear in historical records from assessments, appraisals, and inspections.

Title insurance in Florida is an essential factor in buying a house. Title insurance protects the buyer from purchasing a home with title defects and protects the lender well after closing if any title defects emerge. During the home-buying process, the title company performs a thorough title search, looking for any restrictions, encumbrances, and other legal claims on the property that may pose a problem during the sale. Title insurance costs very little, but the protection is well worth it.

Why Property Values Are Important in Real Estate Transactions

One of the most common uses for property records is to track the value of a piece of property to see if it is a good investment. Comparing sales of similar homes in the area can provide a good base of assumption about the value.

Properties are valued through tax assessments and property appraisals. Each tackles the task slightly differently but uses industry-accepted property valuing methods. Most often, appraisals are used in real estate transactions to ensure that the value supports the loan. Tax assessors use assessments to determine the property's tax rate.

Fair market value (FMV) fluctuates with the economy. Property records in Florida can show you how the value of a specific piece of property has changed over time, giving you insight into when to buy.

Whenever an event occurs, such as the purchase or sale of real estate, the responsible party must file the paperwork with the county clerk's office quickly for it to become legal. Sometimes, you must pay a fee when recording documents.

Despite everyone's efforts to be accurate in property records, they may contain errors. There are also situations where the information in property records needs to be updated.

If you notice an error on one of your property records, for example, the deed to your home, you can correct it by contacting the county clerk's office. You may need to supply them with source documents to prove the error and verify the change. You might also have to visit the courthouse or other government offices to change additional documents.

Sometimes, property records need to be altered due to legal events. For example, if a homeowner wills a piece of property to children, the documents, such as the deed, need to change to reflect the new owners.

If you get married or divorced and your name changes, you will want to update the deed to your home and other property records. You must supply the county clerk's office with the marriage or divorce certificate to validate the change.

When someone dies, their property will be transferred to their heirs. Along with it, the deed and other accompanying documents must be changed. You can bring the death certificate to the county clerk's office where the property resides to make a change. You may also have to get a copy of the will proving new ownership.

Florida does not have a registry of deeds. Instead, deeds and other property records are recorded, filed, and stored by each individual county clerk's office. Some are kept at the county courthouse. You can find tax records with the county tax assessor. Realty and title companies also possess mountains of property records.

Property records are public records, and anyone can access them freely. You can visit government offices to request copies by filling out a form and paying a fee or find them online through various repositories and informational resources.

You cannot always remove your personal information from public records. A lot of your personal information may be contained in public records. If you want to preserve your privacy and prevent identity theft, you can contact the offices that keep property records and have them redact or remove any private information. Contact website owners and make a formal request that they, too, remove any of your personal details.

Property records are public to ensure government transparency and protect the people. People have the legal right to know who owns a property and its details. This information is beneficial during real estate transactions.