How to check liens on properties

[cv2]

Our HOA has a number of homeowners behind on their HOA dues. Traditionally we would turn them over to attorney on contigency. They will follow up and eventually HOA got paid in full. Now because the chance of getting it back is slim, attorneys demands payments upfront and there is a slim chance that HOA will ever get paid back.

We want to change the way we operates. One option we are considering to find out how much the condo is worth and how much is the homeowner obligation. Then we can make a judgment whether to pursuit further.

How can we find out all the existing liens and amount on properties? I was told that our attorney would charge us $250 per property. That sounds high. Are there any other ways? We would not mind paying $100/property.

Thanks in advance.

[UCGal]

You can do some of it yourself. If you know the owners name you can plug it into

http://arcc.co.san-diego.ca.us/services/grantorgrantee/search.aspx

But that gives you a list of all recorded liens and judgments associated with the owner. But the owner could own multiple properties so you can’t assume all the docs/deeds/trustdeeds etc are associated with the property in the association. Most docs can be ordered from the recorders office for $3 each. ($7 for certified).

You can’t make any determination till you look at the individual liens/trust deeds. Here’s an example: I’m in litigation with someone and was checking to see if there were assets – he had a few deeds and trust deeds – one went into NOD status more than a year ago. But when I ordered the doc I found it was a timeshare… so not nearly as relevant as his primary home asset.

It’s time vs money. You can get a good idea through small charges per doc ordered from the county – but it’s time consuming. If your HOA has a lot of people delinquent – this might turn into a big endeavor.

Have you asked your local title company how much they’d charge?

[UCGal]

You can do some of it yourself. If you know the owners name you can plug it into

http://arcc.co.san-diego.ca.us/services/grantorgrantee/search.aspx

But that gives you a list of all recorded liens and judgments associated with the owner. But the owner could own multiple properties so you can’t assume all the docs/deeds/trustdeeds etc are associated with the property in the association. Most docs can be ordered from the recorders office for $3 each. ($7 for certified).

You can’t make any determination till you look at the individual liens/trust deeds. Here’s an example: I’m in litigation with someone and was checking to see if there were assets – he had a few deeds and trust deeds – one went into NOD status more than a year ago. But when I ordered the doc I found it was a timeshare… so not nearly as relevant as his primary home asset.

It’s time vs money. You can get a good idea through small charges per doc ordered from the county – but it’s time consuming. If your HOA has a lot of people delinquent – this might turn into a big endeavor.

Have you asked your local title company how much they’d charge?

[UCGal]

You can do some of it yourself. If you know the owners name you can plug it into

http://arcc.co.san-diego.ca.us/services/grantorgrantee/search.aspx

But that gives you a list of all recorded liens and judgments associated with the owner. But the owner could own multiple properties so you can’t assume all the docs/deeds/trustdeeds etc are associated with the property in the association. Most docs can be ordered from the recorders office for $3 each. ($7 for certified).

You can’t make any determination till you look at the individual liens/trust deeds. Here’s an example: I’m in litigation with someone and was checking to see if there were assets – he had a few deeds and trust deeds – one went into NOD status more than a year ago. But when I ordered the doc I found it was a timeshare… so not nearly as relevant as his primary home asset.

It’s time vs money. You can get a good idea through small charges per doc ordered from the county – but it’s time consuming. If your HOA has a lot of people delinquent – this might turn into a big endeavor.

Have you asked your local title company how much they’d charge?

[UCGal]

You can do some of it yourself. If you know the owners name you can plug it into

http://arcc.co.san-diego.ca.us/services/grantorgrantee/search.aspx

But that gives you a list of all recorded liens and judgments associated with the owner. But the owner could own multiple properties so you can’t assume all the docs/deeds/trustdeeds etc are associated with the property in the association. Most docs can be ordered from the recorders office for $3 each. ($7 for certified).

You can’t make any determination till you look at the individual liens/trust deeds. Here’s an example: I’m in litigation with someone and was checking to see if there were assets – he had a few deeds and trust deeds – one went into NOD status more than a year ago. But when I ordered the doc I found it was a timeshare… so not nearly as relevant as his primary home asset.

It’s time vs money. You can get a good idea through small charges per doc ordered from the county – but it’s time consuming. If your HOA has a lot of people delinquent – this might turn into a big endeavor.

Have you asked your local title company how much they’d charge?

[UCGal]

You can do some of it yourself. If you know the owners name you can plug it into

http://arcc.co.san-diego.ca.us/services/grantorgrantee/search.aspx

But that gives you a list of all recorded liens and judgments associated with the owner. But the owner could own multiple properties so you can’t assume all the docs/deeds/trustdeeds etc are associated with the property in the association. Most docs can be ordered from the recorders office for $3 each. ($7 for certified).

You can’t make any determination till you look at the individual liens/trust deeds. Here’s an example: I’m in litigation with someone and was checking to see if there were assets – he had a few deeds and trust deeds – one went into NOD status more than a year ago. But when I ordered the doc I found it was a timeshare… so not nearly as relevant as his primary home asset.

It’s time vs money. You can get a good idea through small charges per doc ordered from the county – but it’s time consuming. If your HOA has a lot of people delinquent – this might turn into a big endeavor.

Have you asked your local title company how much they’d charge?

[SD Attorney]

Unfortunately, the easiest way to do it involves getting in your car and going directly to the County Recorder’s Office.

I usually go to the County Recorder’s Office downtown SD off of Harbor Dr. There you can use their computers for free and look up all liens that encumber the individuals property. This is the best way to do it because you can see the amount of the lien(s) and determine if any have been reconveyed. You are not able to see how much has been paid down, I believe the only way to get that information is directly from the bank, which they will not give to you unless authorized by the borrower.

You don’t need to be an attorney to access these documents, however, an attorney with experience can probably decifer the documents in minutes, whereas it may take an untrained eye several hours.

[SD Attorney]

Unfortunately, the easiest way to do it involves getting in your car and going directly to the County Recorder’s Office.

I usually go to the County Recorder’s Office downtown SD off of Harbor Dr. There you can use their computers for free and look up all liens that encumber the individuals property. This is the best way to do it because you can see the amount of the lien(s) and determine if any have been reconveyed. You are not able to see how much has been paid down, I believe the only way to get that information is directly from the bank, which they will not give to you unless authorized by the borrower.

You don’t need to be an attorney to access these documents, however, an attorney with experience can probably decifer the documents in minutes, whereas it may take an untrained eye several hours.

[SD Attorney]

Unfortunately, the easiest way to do it involves getting in your car and going directly to the County Recorder’s Office.

I usually go to the County Recorder’s Office downtown SD off of Harbor Dr. There you can use their computers for free and look up all liens that encumber the individuals property. This is the best way to do it because you can see the amount of the lien(s) and determine if any have been reconveyed. You are not able to see how much has been paid down, I believe the only way to get that information is directly from the bank, which they will not give to you unless authorized by the borrower.

You don’t need to be an attorney to access these documents, however, an attorney with experience can probably decifer the documents in minutes, whereas it may take an untrained eye several hours.

[SD Attorney]

Unfortunately, the easiest way to do it involves getting in your car and going directly to the County Recorder’s Office.

I usually go to the County Recorder’s Office downtown SD off of Harbor Dr. There you can use their computers for free and look up all liens that encumber the individuals property. This is the best way to do it because you can see the amount of the lien(s) and determine if any have been reconveyed. You are not able to see how much has been paid down, I believe the only way to get that information is directly from the bank, which they will not give to you unless authorized by the borrower.

You don’t need to be an attorney to access these documents, however, an attorney with experience can probably decifer the documents in minutes, whereas it may take an untrained eye several hours.

[SD Attorney]

Unfortunately, the easiest way to do it involves getting in your car and going directly to the County Recorder’s Office.

I usually go to the County Recorder’s Office downtown SD off of Harbor Dr. There you can use their computers for free and look up all liens that encumber the individuals property. This is the best way to do it because you can see the amount of the lien(s) and determine if any have been reconveyed. You are not able to see how much has been paid down, I believe the only way to get that information is directly from the bank, which they will not give to you unless authorized by the borrower.

You don’t need to be an attorney to access these documents, however, an attorney with experience can probably decifer the documents in minutes, whereas it may take an untrained eye several hours.

[Author]

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