How to Find Owners of Properties
in Indiana

There are many ways to find out who owns a property in Indiana. You can do public record searches as allowed by Indiana's public record laws: the Access to Public Records Act (APRA) and the Open Door Law. You can also conduct online searches through third-party resources.

While it may be easy to do a property owner search in Indiana for individual property owners, it becomes harder when the property is owned by a corporation or trust.

In this guide, we will help you start the groundwork if you are looking to buy a house in Indiana or invest in a piece of land. Here are your options for finding the owner of a property for free in Indiana or via paid sources.

Start With the County Registry of Deeds

The county registry of deeds is where the local government stores real estate records, which include transactions between property owners and third parties, deeds, and liens. You can also find other public records like birth and death certificates.

In Indiana, the Registry of Deeds is under the recorder's office in every county. Usually, if you want to buy a house or even bare land, the first step is typically to conduct some research to verify the background of that property. Visiting the nearest county recorder's office can help get this started.

At the county recorder's office, you can easily find all information on real estate held within the state, liens, and mortgages. Depending on the county, the recorder's office is typically open for walk-in services or phone calls during business hours of 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Mondays through Fridays.

You can also find the recorder's office address and contact information on the county's website online. Here are the websites for the recorder's office in some of the major counties in Indiana:

• Hamilton County
• Marion County
• Lake County
• Monroe County
• Dekalb County
• Clark County
• St. Joseph County
• Marshall County

Most of these counties have also partnered with Doxpop to enable interested persons to search for property records online. Alternatively, searches can be done through the free Property Watch service affiliated with most counties in Indiana.

Whether you walk into the office or use any of these online databases, you can find the property owner by address, name, or property description. Note that the requirements on each platform or at each county's office may vary, but these are the basic requirements.

Browse the State's Land Records Website

Another way to conduct a property owner search in Indiana is to use the state's land records website. Land records show the chronological history of land in an area, starting from colonial times. They help searchers trace land ownership whenever they can't find it through a regular search.

Land ownership typically starts with a government grant to an individual. Then, whenever this person decides to sell, the transaction is recorded in a deed. Different counties keep this deed to help facilitate property searches.

The Indiana State Archives holds all these records, and interested persons can search through the Research Indiana Catalog to see what records are available in the archives. From the Record Series and Collection website, users can conduct an advanced search by providing the following details:

• Record Series No
• Series Title
• Entity type
• Classification
• Creating entity
• Geographic location
• Record dates range

Visit the City or Town Assessor's Office

Most cities and towns in Indiana have a local assessor's office, where certain public records are kept. Local assessors keep property records, their market value, county maps, and photographs.

Searches at the assessor's office can be done using the property address or parcel number. Many counties also have dedicated offices where interested searchers can walk in to conduct searches. Here's how to find the assessor's office in some of the counties in Indiana:

• Marion County
• Bartholomew County
• St. Joseph County
• Fountain County
• Daviess County
• Brown County
• Dearborn County
• Monroe County
• Dekalb County
• Clark County

Search Tax Records

Another way to conduct a property owner search in Indiana is by going through the tax records of that property. Tax records are another set of public information kept at the local assessor's office. They show who currently owns the property, its value, and overall tax history.

To request a property tax record in Indiana, interested persons can visit the county's dedicated site for property tax records and search using the property's address, county parcel number, and tax year. Although the specific details needed to search may vary from county to county, these are the basic requirements.

Here's how to find property tax records in some major counties in Indiana:

• Marion County
• Lake County
• St Joseph County
• Monroe County
• Dekalb County
• Clark County

Hire a Title Company

Title companies are yet another way to conduct a property owner search in Indiana. They do the legwork before any property sale, including investigating the title and other information the seller may not be willing to disclose. Title companies investigate whether the property has a lien on it and its previous owners and even help provide title insurance.

As a buyer, this will help you verify that the property you want to buy will not cause you trouble down the line. So, if you want to conduct a quick Indiana house owner lookup, you can contact any of these title agencies. Their fees tend to vary, depending on the services needed.

A basic title search can cost about $100 or more, depending on the property's location and other factors. The title insurance these companies can get you may also cost anything from 0.1-2% of the final purchase price. These companies have access to databases where they pull up property records and detailed information that may be too hard to find via a random search, which is why they charge these fees.

Other Ways to Do an Indiana House Owner Lookup

There are other ways for you to discover who owns the property that interests you. You can browse many online websites to help you find the owner of a property for free.

You can also go down to the property's location and speak to neighbors for eyewitness information on the property. In addition, you can get property ownership information from lawyers and real estate agents.

At first glance, property ownership may look like simply buying a property and having your name on the deed. But in real life, it goes beyond that to include how many people can own a property and what kind of ownership they will have. For example, property ownership can be between a couple, a partnership, or even a trust.

Each of the different types of property ownership has its pros and cons. Thus, it is important to first understand what they entail before choosing the one you feel is right for you. The kind of property ownership you choose can affect your takes, access to financing options, and even your probate.

Some common types of property ownership in Indiana include:

The table below highlights some of the different types of property ownership in Indiana and their benefits and implications.

Individuals are the most popular property owners but are not the only ones who can own property. Trusts, corporations, partnerships, and even limited liability companies (LLCs) can own real estate in Indiana. This is because the law recognizes them as legal persons.

So, if you are using an online resource to find the owner of a property free and come up with no results, it could be because they are not an individual, as you may expect.

Figuring out the properties owned by these corporate persons may be difficult for you. Getting professional help may be more advisable, as real estate attorneys and title companies are some experts who have better experience in finding this kind of information. They typically check through public records, like those discussed earlier, business databases, and other directories, to find results.

Here are some more specific ways to find out who owns a trust, corporation, or any other entity listed on the property records:

Finding the Owner of a Trust in Indiana

One way to find out who owns a trust is to contact the person appointed to manage the trust. The property search information may have these details, but if it doesn't, you can contact a real estate or probate attorney to conduct the investigation.

Finding the Owner of an LLC in Indiana

Interested persons can find out who owns an LLC in Indiana by conducting a business entity search using either the full or partial name. Simply visit the dedicated website for this service and input the relevant details. The resulting page will display the type of business entity it is, e.g., a domestic LLC, its location, and other relevant details.

Alternatively, the user can search tax and property records to see if the owner's name is listed. Third-party databases like LexisNexis and Westlaw are some other ways to find this information.

Finding the Owner of a Corporation in Indiana

As stated above, a business entity search on the Indiana government's official search platform is one way to find out who owns a corporation in the state. Alternatively, the searcher may visit any property records office to search for person. Third-party services and local business directories are also another way to find out who owns a corporation tied to a property.

Property deeds are documents/legal instruments showing that ownership of a property has passed from one person to another. They typically list the buyer's and seller's rights and obligations under the agreement. Some common types of property deeds are:

Other types of property deeds are:

• Quitclaim deeds
• Deed of Trust
• Bargain and Sales Deed

Before buying a property in Indiana, it is advisable to first understand the property transfer process. Below are the steps involved in officially transferring property ownership in Indiana:

• Determine the Type of Property Transfer: Establish how the title in the property is to pass, whether by sale, gift, inheritance, or some other way. This information is necessary for many reasons, like determining the kind of tax to be paid after the sale or whether you are to pay any taxes at all.
• Do a Title Search: The need to conduct a title search before any property transfer cannot be overstated. Among other things, it will help establish whether or not the seller has the legal right to sell. You can conduct this search yourself, following the steps provided in this guide. You can also contact a third-party company or attorney to carry out the title search on your behalf.
• Prepare the Deed: Once the first two steps above are completed, the next step is to get a licensed attorney to prepare a deed. This property deed is the legal evidence of the property transfer and outlines the parties' duties and obligations. The type of deed to be drafted will also depend on the type of property transfer.
• Pay Transfer Taxes: The State of Indiana does not charge real estate transfer tax.
• Review and Recording: After drafting the property deed, the next step is to get it notarized and then submit the document to the county recorder's office. The deed will be assessed at the assessor, auditor, and recorder's office, which may charge small fees for this process. This process takes anywhere from a few days to a few weeks before you get the deed back.
• Receipt of Recorded Deed: You can visit the recorder's office to request a certified copy of the recorded deed, which typically costs about $1. Alternatively, you can search for the recorded deed online via the county's website.
• Update Records: Once the property transfer is done, the new owner will need to contact the relevant officials like the tax office, property assessor's office, etc. This will ensure that the new owner is recognized and that all mails come to them.
• Get a Title Insurance Policy: Title insurance helps protect the seller in case any unexpected issues arise after the sale. Insurance typically costs around 0.1% to 2% of the sales price, and it is a good practice to have this insurance just in case.