There might be a time where you need to research information on a home owner or property in N.Y.C. Maybe you are a new investor, an inquisitive neighbor or you just need information on your own property. Well, you're in luck, a lot of information can be gotten for free in N.Y.C. Below are some of the best resources both free and paid to research property.
Keep in mind that these resources are ideal for the 5 boroughs because they have unified database systems. If you're looking for say, Long Island or Westchester information it will be a bit more involved. In this article, we are just focused on looking up home owners and property in Queens, Brooklyn, The Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island.
Below I’ll list the agencies and what information can be accessed from that particular agency. Then I’ll show you the easiest way to access them all in one place !
1-ACRIS- (Automated City Register Information System): This resource is at number one for a reason. Not only is it free but because all property sales in N.Y.C are a matter of public record, you are able to see things like buyer's and seller's names, deeds, recorded mortgages, liens, and more. This resource is a must have.
2-D.O.B- (Dept. Of Buildings): Here you will be able to look up Certificate Of Occupancies, Complaints, Violations, Permits and more.
3- Dept. of Finance: Here you will be able to get city tax information on properties including the current and previous year's tax bill and assessments, what tax class the property is in and even if the tax bill is current or is in arrears.
4-H.P.D- (Housing Preservation and Development): Here you will be able to look up any violations specifically related to tenants of a particular property. Complaints and violations such as no heat, lead paint, or mold will be found here.
5-ZoLa- (Zoning and Land use): Here you will find zoning and land use information for properties in NYC. This is very useful in determining the current and proposed best use of land or property.
HERE IS HOW TO ACCESS ALL OF THE ABOVE AND MORE AT ONCE :
1. Visit http://www.oasisnyc.net/map.aspx ( this is best visited on a desktop )
2. Enter the street address, select your borough and then click “search”
3. After the property has been pulled up, look over to the top right and click “location report”.
4. In the “location report” section you’ll find basic information such as the block and lot numbers, the owners on record, lot and building sizes as well as zoning information.
5. Scrolling down you will see links to the NYC Dept. of finance, the Dept. of Buildings, ACRIS (listed as “property transaction records”) as well as the other agencies previously mentioned.
6. Click on any one of the links and you will be sent to the corresponding agency site sometimes with the property information already pulled up. If the the specific property information is not already pulled up just re-enter the address or the block and lot number.
*UPDATE- Another great resource is www.lavamap.com this site is actually a bit better than the aforementioned Oasis map in its user-friendliness. Not only does the site give you access to all the information and agencies above, but it can also be easily accessed through your mobile device (something that Oasis map has a bit of difficulty with), the address search bar is much easier to use and you can search right from the map and select any property for its info.
There is a free and paid version of this site. Honestly, if you know how to navigate the free version you'll be able to access more than enough information. Here is how to do that:
1- Visit the site , input the property address you want to look up ( You can also click "open map" on the bottom right and search through the map feature, really nice when you don't know the exact address).
2- After the property has been pulled up, You will see a page that has link tabs saying " Ownership etc... those links require you to use the paid subscription, However, if you just select "MORE" and then select "LINKS" it takes you to ALL the important agencies that I already mentioned for free. *On a mobile device, you have to select "See Details - More- Links”.
Tip, "ACRIS" is found under the link "Transaction Records".
This site was actually developed with the real estate investor in mind and has a lot of other tools that can be accessed for free. If you are interested just browse around, you won't be disappointed.
Even though the above resources are fantastic, you still might need more information such as comparable sales and potential value. To gather this information you will typically need to use a paid real estate database site, they charge anywhere between $60-$100 per month. Below are the two most common sites and another resource.
1- GeoData- (www.Geodataplus.com) This is a paid website that will offer all the information from the free resources but also gives you the ability to run “comps” (comparable sales reports) to determine the potential value of a property. This site also streamlines the gathered public record data. For example; although you can find sales, mortgages, liens, and other information on ACRIS, Geodata has everything listed in an easier to read and navigate interface. It will also include past sales and the ability to search by specific property type such as a one or two family class code. It also provides "Lis Pendens" (latin for "pending suit") which are typically pre-foreclosure liens filed by lenders against home owners who are behind on their mortgages.
2- Property Shark- (www.Propertyshark.com) This is another paid website similar to GeoData and basically provides the same information and services. Both sites are used by investors, appraisers, realtors, and are really a matter of preference.
3- Your local MLS (Multiple Listing Service) - This is only accessible by a licensed Real Estate Agent or Broker. This is the tool that Realtors use to list property to other Realtors and to the public. Because of this, it is also a de-facto database and research tool. It all also has access to public records. In order to access this resource, you will need to contact a licensed Realtor in your area. A good Realtor should also have access to at least one of the paid real estate database sites mentioned earlier.
This guide is sure to get you started in your research.
GOOD LUCK!
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