How do you find out who a mortgage co is for real property?

Sincerely,

Val

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Val,

Assuming that the property is not owned “free and clear,” in most circumstances there will be a lien holder (or multiple lien holders) on the property. A property lien is a legal claim on real property for payment of some debt or other obligation, usually for the payment to the mortgagor(s) who lent the money to the property purchaser.

Absent a tax lien, a lien on real property to secure the payment of overdue state or federal taxes, the mortgagor will be the primary lien holder. Property liens are most often filed with the civil records in the county court where the property is located, more specifically with the property deeds. Lien holder information can usually also be found at the county Tax Assessor’s Office.

Keep in mind that the mortgagor is not always a bank or other lending institution; the buyer may have purchased the property via a mortgage or private loan offered directly from the previous land owner, too.

Lastly, if you are looking for the lien holder because you or your client intend to file suit or attach the property via some other legal action, you may very well find multiple lien holders staking a claim to the property. It is not uncommon to find multiple mortgage liens, tax liens, builder’s liens, judgment liens, etc. filed against any one property. Depending upon state law, different types of liens fall into a sort of pecking order. If the court forces the sale of a property the lien holders will be paid in the order of seniority; junior liens get paid last… if there is anything left.

L. Scott Harrell

Hi L Scott,

I see that we are common Facebook friends with S. Bauer and V. Siedow. I also see from your page that you work for IRB Search, so I am contacting you to see if you would be willing to share some of your finding people knowledge. I would like to find people that have moved and all I have is their name and the property address of where they used to live (and owned it).

1) What are the best free and paid websites to find people with this little amount of info?
2) If they have died, how do I find their next of kin, Executor of their estate or whatever else this person is called?

I will be finding these people for the purpose of letting them know that they are entitled to unclaimed money in their name.

Thank you VERY much,
Michael P.

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Hi Michael,

You will need to things from an information broker…

a) an “Address Update,” where you can input a name and historic address in hopes of finding a new address and

b) a search that provides relatives and neighbors (known associates).

I’m not aware of any free searches that will accomplish address updates and known associates. Most major database providers offer these types of searches and is what IRBsearch is best known for – the ability to find people, associates and assets.  The problem you will have, however, is that most private investigator database providers will require a PI license in order to obtain access.

If you find that a person is owed unclaimed property but is deceased, you could try the obituaries in newspapers local to the decedent’s hometown in your effort to locate heirs and “Next of Kin.”

-Scott Harrell

Perhaps it was an impression created by reading Sherlock Holmes mysteries as a child or watching Magnum PI reruns, but a career as a private investigator seemed larger than life to me when I was seriously considering what I would do with my life.

I, like the majority of the general public, misunderstood and undervalued the work of private investigators until I found myself working as a detective. It wasn’t anything at all like the television shows or the Nancy Drew books!

The work of private investigators ranges from surveillance, conducting criminal investigations, detecting insurance fraud to a range of other investigative services. The clients are as varied as the work. They include the government, insurance companies, lawyers, private citizens and any person or organization that needs investigative services.

If you want to be a private investigator, then set yourself up for success and get as much training as possible.  Begin with general investigation courses and move on to those specific types of cases that interest you most, i.e. interview techniques, arson investigations, patent and trademark law or insurance law.

The become “employment ready” by investing in the proper equipment, studying your state’s Civil and criminal code, learn to communicate effectively… then be patient but persistent in your job search.

By Colleen Collins, Highlands Investigations & Legal Services, Inc.

Many people are curious how private investigators (PIs) get into the profession and assume most were former cops (and they’re right-a majority of PIs are former law enforcement officers). Realistically speaking, most PIs enter the profession by either interning for an established private investigative agency or by having held an investigative position within the military or law enforcement. Most being a key word. There are various specialized skills within the investigative business that don’t require such backgrounds (some PIs were former certified public accountants [CPAs] and specialize in financial investigations, some might have backgrounds training dogs and specialize as pet detectives, some were paralegals and specialize in legal investigations, etc.).

But whatever a person’s background, the common traits found in all good PIs are curiosity, creativity, and perseverance. A strong sense of justice certainly helps, but sometimes the best that can be hoped for is that the legal process is conducted fairly.

That said, below are five tips to consider if you’re pursuing the idea of being a private investigator:

Tip #1: Research investigative specialties and decide which ones you want specialize in. For example, PIs specialize in many different areas such as accident investigation, asset search/recovery, civil litigation support, criminal defense investigations, locating missing persons, loss prevention, skiptracing, tenant screening, and many more. One way to learn about the various investigative specialties is to research PIs’ websites–for example, in your browser, type private investigator or the field you’re interested in, such as loss prevention. On their site, a PI will typically explain his/her background, a definition of the services they offer, prices, etc.

Tip #2: Attend a PI conference. Most professional PI organizations sponsor conferences that are open to the public. Here you can network with other PIs, attend seminars, test equipment, buy manuals, and more. PI Magazine, for example, always lists upcoming conferences–buy a copy and check out one near you.

Tip #3: Read books on investigations. There are hundreds of books on topics, from background investigations to identity theft to personal injury investigations. One resource for investigative books is PIstore.com: http://www.pistore.com/

Tip #4: Take an investigative course. Most states have professional PI organizations that offer courses, which are often open to the public. If they don’t offer educational classes, contact a member and ask what courses he/she might recommend. To look up your state’s PI organization, and its licensing requirements, go to http://www.crimetime.com/licensing.htm

Tip #5. Polish your speaking and writing skills. As a PI, you’ll be in contact with many people, from presenting your investigative skills to potential employers to interviewing witnesses. The better you present yourself verbally, the better your business successes. You’ll also be writing a lot of reports, so the better your grammar, punctuation, and writing style, the better your business successes.

The above tips will help you hone and polish your skills toward being not just a private investigator, but a professional private investigator.

Colleen Collins is a professional private investigator and multi-published author. She and her business partner run Highlands Investigations & Legal Services, Inc., based in Colorado, which specializes in asset/background checks, criminal/civil investigations, domestic relations, financial fraud, personal injury, skiptracing, and surveillance. To read more about their services, go to http://www.highlandsinvestigations.com