Tax sale glossary
Recorder of deeds
The county office that maintains recorded land documents and their indexes. Its name may be recorder, register of deeds or clerk. Use its records to research ownership; recording a document does not establish that a tax-sale title is insurable.
Go deeper: Find the ownership records.
Sources
Statutes, court decisions and reference material used on this page. Laws and fees change, so confirm against the current source before you act.
- About the Recorder's Office · Miami County, Ohio, Recorder · Checked
- Title Insurance · California Department of Insurance · Checked
Related terms
- Title search
- A review of public records to identify property ownership and recorded claims, such as mortgages, liens and easements. Order the search before bidding and ask what records and dates it covers. A search does not itself provide insurance.
- Chain of title
- The sequence of recorded documents showing transfers of an interest in a property. Reviewing that history helps a title professional trace ownership and investigate gaps, reservations or competing claims.
Tax Sale Atlas publishes educational information about public tax sale processes. This is not legal, financial, or investment advice. Rules, dates, and fees change; confirm with the county office before you bid.
See the term in a real sale
Open a state to watch these concepts play out in an actual sale calendar and rule set.