Washtenaw County Property Search
In Washtenaw County, property records are official documents that provide information about a building or a piece of land within the county. A property record shows who legitimately possesses a specific piece of property. A property search is a procedure used to assess the ownership and claims of a piece of real property before the completion of a real estate transaction. Property searches assist purchasers in fair real estate transactions by letting them know what to expect. It can reveal or verify information concerning a property. The Register of Deeds Office is the official repository for real and personal property records in Washtenaw County.
Are Washtenaw County Property Records Public?
Yes. According to Michigan's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), MCL 15.231 et seq. Everyone has the right to inspect or copy property records as well as other related Washtenaw County Public Records. Therefore, the general public can access most property documents recorded with the Washtenaw County Register of Deeds Office. According to Section 15.243 (j) of the Michigan Legislature, property records that are considered private or restricted from public exposure include appraisals of real estate that a public body plans to acquire. These appraisals are not accessible until an agreement is reached or until three years have passed since the appraisal was made if litigation regarding the acquisition has not yet come to an end. Records or details of actions taken to ensure the safety or security of people or property are also exempted from public access.
Where to Perform a Washtenaw County Property Lookup
Members of the public can perform a Washtenaw property search with the Washtenaw County Register of Deeds office.
Anyone who wishes to conduct a thorough property search may visit the Register of Deeds office in person. Requests made in person require an appointment. To schedule an appointment with the office staff, contact Deeds@Washtenaw.org via email or by call (734) 222-6710. Payment for copies can be made in person with cash, check or money order, or credit card (Visa, MasterCard, and Discover only; accepted everyday until 4 p.m.). The payment must accompany the request.
To conduct a Washtenaw County property lookup online, visit the Register of Deeds office website, and click on "Online Land Record Search". This leads to the third-party website in affiliation with the Register of Deeds office. Click on "Document Search" and choose any of the search options which include
Fill in the required information and click on "Search".
How to Perform a Property Owner Lookup in Washtenaw County
Requesters can use the Self-service search portal hosted by the Register of Deeds to conduct property owner lookups. Use the document or legal description search parameters to find the owner of the property. No fee is required to view data through the portal but a charge of $1.20 per page is required to print or download full-quality images. Payment can be made by credit card (Visa, MasterCard, or Discover). Alternatively, record seekers can visit the Register of Deeds Office to request property ownership information. In-person requests are by appointment. Call (734) 222-6710 or send an email to Deeds@Washtenaw.org to book an appointment with the office staff. Copies of property ownership records come with a cost. Payments can be made by cash, check/money order or credit (Visa, MasterCard & Discover only, until 4 pm, daily).
How to Find Washtenaw County Property Records Online
Washtenaw County property records may be obtained online via several online portals. For instance, this third-party website provides Washtenaw County property and parcel lookup services to members of the public. One can enter just the parcel number, the owner name, or the street address (including the street number or range of street numbers, and the street name) to start searching the system. Users can also input the direction of a street and the name of their city, village, or township to narrow down the property search.
There are several other third-party platforms where property searches may also be conducted online. The general public may lookup property records using such platforms for a fee
How to Find Property Owner by Address for Free
The Washtenaw County Treasurer and the Equalization and Property Description Department both have a Property/Parcel Lookup tool that can be used to find property owners by address at no cost. To begin searching the system, users must enter a street address (including street number or range of street numbers, and street name) in the appropriate search box. They can also enter a street direction and township, village, or city to streamline the search.
Washtenaw County Property Tax Lookup
The Washtenaw County Treasurer maintains property tax records of all properties within the county. The public can examine free tax information on a public computer terminal in the Treasurer's office. Office personnel will provide printouts for $0.50 each. An individual can also perform a property tax lookup online through the Delinquent Tax Search and a Current Tax Search portal.
Individuals who wish to purchase a property need to look up the property tax records to avoid extra expenses, fines, or probably losing the property.
How to Find Washtenaw County Property Appraiser
The Michigan State Board of Real Estate Appraisers has an online portal that can be used to find Washtenaw County property appraisers. The search criteria are by license number or name. The user should enter Washtenaw in the County search box to streamline the search. Alternatively, inquirers can call (517) 241-0199, send email to BPLHelp@Michigan.gov or visit the Board from Monday to Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. to request information on property appraisers in Washtenaw County.
Washtenaw County Property Assessor
The Washtenaw County Equalization Department currently acts as the property assessor for Freedom and Saline Townships. The Equalization Department creates and maintains a graphic depiction of all real property, as well as the county's equalized and taxable base values. Its primary duty is to guarantee that all properties are valued fairly and uniformly throughout all county local governmental levels. The department also assists local units of government with assessment and tax administration as required by Michigan State Law.
Individuals can contact the Washtenaw County Equalization Department at:
Equalization Department
200 N Main Street
Suite 210
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
Phone: (734) 222-6662
Fax: (734) 222-6589
