Kent County Property Search
Kent County keeps official records of all real estate transactions between property owners and other citizens. These records (called property records) are retrievable upon a property search and detail liens, mortgages, taxes, and ownership claims to a piece of property, among other information.
Owners, intending real estate buyers, and other parties conduct property searches for various reasons, including verifying ownership, checking property tax payments, resolving legal disputes (e.g., inheritance matters), and reviewing impediments on a piece of property.
The Kent County Clerk/Register of Deeds is the chief custodian of property records in Kent County, including deeds, land contracts, mortgages, and liens. The Register of Deeds office also oversees the dissemination of property records to interested parties.
Are Kent County Property Records Public?
Yes. Kent County property records are open to the public under the Michigan Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). The FOIA allows anyone to inspect or copy official records held by public bodies, including county departments like the Kent County Clerk/Register of Deeds.
Nonetheless, public bodies or officials may withhold certain records if disclosure contradicts a law, court rule, or court order. Section 15.243 contains a list of exemptions to the Michigan FOIA. Examples include appraisals of real property to be acquired by a public body and records or information on measures designed to protect the safety or security of persons or property.
What Do Kent County Property Records Contain?
Kent County property records contain a wealth of information about real estate within the county, including:
- Sales History: Sale date, grantor/grantee, liber/page, the instrument of sale and type (warranty deed, quit claim, land contract, property transfer affidavit), terms of sale (abandonment, court judgment, family sale, foreclosure, under duress, etc), sale price, and net price.
- Property/Land Information: This includes the owner's name, property address, legal description, parcel number, property classification, year built, total square feet, taxable value, building department records, state equalized value, land improvements, and exemptions.
- Tax Information: Taxpayer details, assessed property values, tax payment history, delinquent taxes, and current tax rate
- Mapping and GIS details
- Zoning Restrictions
Where to Perform a Kent County Property Lookup
Anyone can perform a Kent County property lookup using these methods:
- Visiting the Register of Deeds, Bureau of Equalization, or Treasurer's offices
- Accessing the Self-Service portal maintained by the Register of Deeds or the Property Data Search tool provided by the Treasurer and Equalization offices
- Accessing third-party aggregate websites
How to Perform a Property Owner Lookup in Kent County
A property owner lookup uncovers a property's ownership history (including past and present owners). The search is typically easy to conduct if an inquirer knows a property owner's first and last name, property address, or parcel ID.
Individuals may begin their search for a Kent County property owner at the Register of Deeds/County Clerk office. This office maintains public property records for the County of Kent, including deed records. Members of the public can visit the office during business hours at:
County Administration Building
300 Monroe Avenue North West
Grand Rapids, MI 49503-2288
Phone: (616) 632-7610
Fax: (616) 632-7615
Self-research may be performed at the Register of Deeds for free, but the office charges $1 per page for copy requests, $5 per document for certification, and a $5 minimum for a search (if applicable) of real estate records. (See the office's fee schedule.) A person can also search for and obtain copies of property records through the Register of Deeds Self-Service portal.
Prospective visitors to the Register of Deeds office can find a property owner's name by contacting the Equalization Department or the assessor's office for the city, township, or village where a property lies. These departments can provide requesters with the name that appears on the tax roll, which may be the property owner's name. Individuals can then visit the Register of Deeds office to look up recorded information.
Another way to perform a property owner lookup in Kent County is to access the Access Kent Online Property Search, a database containing records from the Treasurer and Equalization offices. The website can be searched with a property address or parcel number to retrieve ownership and other real estate data.
Additionally, individuals can access Parcel Viewer (iMap) to locate property ownership information via an interactive mapping tool.
How to Find Kent County Property Records Online
Kent County makes multiple provisions for persons who want to obtain county property records online, as mentioned above. Notwithstanding, third-party aggregate websites may provide convenient options for persons looking for Kent County property records online.
Usually, third-party sites can be searched with similar information, such as a name, property address, or parcel number. However, users may be charged a minimal fee to obtain records.
How to Find Property Owner by Address for Free
Inquirers can find a property owner by address for free in Kent County using the Access Kent Online Property Search system:
- Visit Kent County's official website.
- Select "Online Services" from the dropdown top menu.
- Choose "Property Search" from the list.
- Fill in a street number and address to search.
- Select "Search".
One may also enter a complete or partial address into the county's Parcel Viewer (iMap) system to retrieve a current owner's name, among other details.
Kent County Property Tax Lookup
Kent County provides property tax lookup services to anyone (property owners, real estate agents, buyers) who needs to obtain tax information on a piece of property. A property tax lookup is important for several reasons, such as:
- Understanding future tax billings
- Checking delinquent taxes and exemptions
- Reviewing property taxable values
- Verifying a property's tax payment history
A person can carry out a Kent County property tax lookup at the Treasurer's office during working hours, or they may view tax information through the Access Kent Online Property Search site. Tax details are often updated at the end of each annual assessment cycle.
Below are the Treasurer's contact details.
County Administration Building
300 Monroe Avenue North West
Grand Rapids MI 49503
Phone: (616) 632-7500
Fax: (616) 632-7505
Email: kctreasurer@kentcountymi.gov
How to Find Kent County Property Appraiser
Per Article 26 of Public Act 299 of 1980, the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) regulates the real estate appraisal practice in Michigan.
LARA maintains an online database of all certified or licensed appraisers whose principal places of business are in Michigan. As such, anyone looking for a property appraiser in Kent County can access the agency's Licensee Database (MiPLUS). The system is searchable as follows:
- Enter "Kent" into the County search field
- Hit "Search".
Real estate appraisers provide a variety of services to clients that surround establishing the fair market value of a property. Such appraisals are relevant for different transactions, including mortgage lending and real estate development.
Kent County Property Assessor
Each city, township, or village in Kent County has an assessor's office that conducts annual appraisals to value local properties for taxation. Examples are the City of Grand Rapids and the City of Kentwood assessor's offices. These offices prepare assessment rolls for all non-exempt properties within their jurisdictions and determine property tax exemptions that apply.
Unlike many counties in the United States, Kent County does not have a county property assessor's office. As such, persons who want to reach an assessor's office for complaints or inquiries should check for contact information on the official website of the municipality in which the property lies.
