So You Want to Be a Los Angeles Land Sleuth? Your Guide to Deed Deed Deed-ing ️♀️
Ah, Los Angeles. The land of dreams, movie stars, and...deeds? Maybe uncovering property ownership isn't quite as glamorous as chasing awards on Hollywood Boulevard, but hey, it can be just as intriguing! Especially if you're looking to buy a house (congrats!), settle a friendly neighborhood wager on who owns the funky painted Victorian on the corner (Mildred, it is you!), or just have an insatiable curiosity about who once walked the very ground you're standing on.
Whatever your reason, becoming a deed detective in LA can be a fun and fascinating adventure. But fear not, aspiring Nancy Drews and Columbo Columbosses (is that a thing?), this guide will equip you with the knowledge to crack the case.
Step 1: Enter the NETR-iverse (Not as scary as it sounds, promise)
Los Angeles County boasts a nifty online tool called NETR (Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder Index: NETR Online), which is basically a digital rolodex of real estate records. Here, you can search for deeds by two main methods:
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Grantor/Grantee: Know the name of the person who sold the property (grantor) or the person who bought it (grantee)? Type their name in this section and see what pops up! This works best for deeds filed after 1977.
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Assessor's Identification Number (AIN): This ten-digit code is like a property's social security number. If you have the AIN (which you can find on the Los Angeles County Assessor's website), you can use it to zoom right in on the deed. But be warned, this trick only works for deeds filed after September 2009.
Remember: Like a choose-your-own-adventure story, you can only pick one path at a time on NETR. So if you don't have one, you can't search by the other.
Step 2: Patience, Grasshopper
Once you've unleashed your inner search party, be prepared for a wait. NETR might not be the speediest online database out there. But hey, use this time to ponder the fascinating history etched within those digital deeds. Who knows, you might uncover the story of a Hollywood legend or a local family who built their dream home on that very spot.
Step 3: Real Digging for Dirt (Figuratively, of course)
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Didn't find what you were looking for on NETR? No worries, Sherlock. Deeds filed before 1977 are stored in the physical archives of the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk's Office. Just make an appointment and get ready to channel your inner Indiana Jones!
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Fees, Fees, Glorious Fees: Obtaining copies of deeds does come with a small price tag. But hey, consider it an investment in your newfound knowledge of LA's property past!
Bonus Tip: If you're dealing with super old deeds (think pre-1850), you might need to enlist the help of a professional researcher. They've got the experience and resources to navigate the dusty corridors of history.
So You've Found the Deed! Now What?
Congratulations! You've successfully unearthed a piece of LA's property puzzle. Now you can use this newfound knowledge to impress your friends, win bar trivia nights, or simply revel in the satisfaction of a deed deed deed-ly done!
