Want to know what your neighbors paid for their Crofton home?
You don't have to dig through their trash bags at the curb and you don't have to watch for the information to be published in a local newspaper. And no, I'm not going to suggest you just ask. It's online at the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation website.
Just click on the image or the link above it, and scroll within the little box (red arrow) to find Anne Arundel County; then you'll probably want to search by Street Name or Property Sales (highlighted in green). You'll be prompted to further define your search, so just follow the directions on your screen.
If you search by Street Name, this is the information you will learn about any property:
- Date of purchase
- Amt. of purchase
- Date built
- Amt. of assessment
- Size of lot (sq. ft.)
- Size of house (sq. ft.)
- Name of current owner
- Name of previous owner
- Date of previous purchase
- Amt. of previous purchase
If you search by Property Sales:
You can search for sales during a specified time-frame and/or search all sales on a specific street... or you can search for a specific address. You can include commercial, vacant, or improved properties, as well as residential ones. When I search for Property Sales on my own street, for example, I find that two homes have sold since January 1 of this year, and one has been re-financed.
How could you use this information?
- You could determine if your neighbor's property is assessed about the same as yours... if several of your neighbors' assessments are less, you may want to use the information to appeal your own property assessment and tax bill.
- If you don't know the names of your neighbors, this is a good way to find out - assuming the owners are also the occupants of the properties.
- If you're thinking of buying or selling a home, you can get a first-hand look at nearby recent sales including those not listed with real estate agents.
Real estate agents, title companies and lenders refer to the public land records frequently in the course of doing business, but many non-real estate folks seem to feel almost guilty and browsing through this information. No worry. It's public record. You're not spying.
Of course, if the idea of spying seems to have more intrigue for you, there's always the trash bag option. Kidding, of course!
Copyright 2006-12. All rights reserved.
DISCLAIMER: Information contained in this post is deemed reliable on the date of publication, but it is not guaranteed and it is subject to change without notice.
________________________________________________________________________________________
Margaret Woda, REALTOR and Associate Broker
Direct: (301)346-2923 or click on EMAIL
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Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc., 2191 Defense Hwy., Crofton, MD 21114 (410) 721-1500
Margaret, the general public is often so surprised that this information, for many towns and cities, is available online. Very good info to let peopel know.
So many buyers and sellers are surprised about the information that is available about homes. It is information that they need to make an informed decision when buying and selling
Hi Margaret, As the online estimate companies collect this and collate the public data, soon, I would expect there will be a national data base where all is known. Seems we are heading in that direction.
Margaret,
Similar sites for my area make me a big hit. I use this data on an initial listing appointment and the potential sellers think I have "secret weapons." Also helps me when buyers are considering their offer.
Andrea - This post was inspired by my husband's pleasure at finding this information about a week ago. He went on and on about whose lot was bigger, and finally learning the name of neighbors he always exchanged "hello's" with...
Terry - You're right, and they're even more surprised to fiillnd out THEY have access to this info.
William - I think you may be right about that. I do think it's a great service to put it online... don't you remember the days when we had to go down to the courthouse to get this info?
Irene -To my surprise, this database is updated 3 times a week, so it's quite an improvement over the "old" days when these records could only be found on microfiche at the courthouse. Buyers CAN access this material and that eliminates any concern that the agent could possibly be selective in telling them about comps.
One interesting little tidbid: I've heard at least one situation where the information reported on this "public" website and in the mls database for the public record was different. I don't remember the exact circumstances but, in that case, it made a difference and the agent found himself defending information in the public record. Since hearing about that case, I've tried to print out both and double-check to make sure they're consistent.
Good post but I found the graphic too small to read for my over 50 year old eyes.
Michael - Haha... mine are older than yours! %here's really no reason to read it and that's about as wide as you can go on Localism with an image. Really, I think the circle and highlighting make it evident where one should look on the page when they click through.
Using public records like that to appeal for a reassessment doesn't work here because of the passage of Proposition 13 back in 1978. Assessments don't mean anything except to the tax assessor. The purchase price of the property when it is sold is the key because that resets the tax basis. There are many older owners here who bought their properties prior to 1978, so their properties have increased for tax assessment by a mere 2% each year. It is possible for an 80-year-old person to be paying a couple of thousand dollars of property taxes on a property worth millions of dollars now. Many parents will simply quit claim their house to a child rather than sell it to the child.
Margaret: I use this data all the time on listings and research in general. I am very detailed so I like to find out all I can for my clients. It is amazing how many people I've run into who do not know this is public info.
Margaret,
Many here in my area are already accessing this information. However, I have a paid version with much more information.
Consumers often aren't aware this information is so easily available, and they're always "tickled pink" to find it. When my husband found it, he was giddy for a week with all info he discovered online and couldn't stop talking about it - even though he knows I access it all the time.
Russel, A copy of the public records is helpful in preparing an appeal here, if not in California.
Donna, You're right, many people don't know where to find this information.
Mike, We have a "paid" and much more complete version as part of our MLS, but consumers are usually delighted just to find this simple report.
Great job Margaret. You're right, many consumers know nothing about these kind of resources. It's a really good idea to make them aware of them and something I do whenever I get the opportunity too.