New York Property & Deed Records
New York counties handle recording through the county clerk (or ACRIS in NYC). Deeds, mortgages, and liens are indexed by party name; parcel identifiers (section/block/lot or borough-block-lot) keep searches accurate.
Where to Search
- ACRIS (NYC): Deeds, mortgages, UCC filings for Manhattan, Bronx, Brooklyn, and Queens.
- County Clerk (outside NYC): Recording searches by name, SBL, or instrument number for deeds, mortgages, and liens.
- County/City Assessor: Parcel lookups for ownership, assessed value, and tax class.
- Tax Collector/Treasurer: Delinquent tax status, foreclosure lists, and auction schedules.
Steps to Locate a Deed
- Find the parcel ID (Borough-Block-Lot in NYC; Section-Block-Lot elsewhere) via assessor or map search.
- Search ACRIS or the county clerk by party name and parcel ID for the latest deed.
- Download the deed and note recording date, instrument number, and legal description.
- Pull associated mortgages, satisfactions, and UCC filings to see open liens.
- Check tax status and foreclosure notices before making offers or bids.
County shortcuts
- NYC (ACRIS): Use Parcel Identifier search; export document lists to CSV for chain tracking.
- Nassau & Suffolk: County Clerk public records plus GIS/assessment for parcel IDs and taxes.
- Erie & Monroe: Clerk recording search by name/SBL; county GIS for parcel maps and taxes.
- Westchester: Clerk recording search; Parcel Access for assessment and tax status.
Document set to pull
- Latest deed and prior deed to verify chain and owners of record.
- Mortgages, consolidations, CEMAs, assignments, and satisfactions.
- Mechanics' liens, judgments, UCCs, lis pendens, and tax warrants.
- Assessment roll entry showing owner, school district, and tax class.
New York tax lien/deed sales
NYC sells tax liens to a trust; counties outside NYC may hold in-house tax deed or tax lien auctions.
Always confirm whether the sale transfers a lien or a deed, what liens survive, and whether there is a redemption period.
Due diligence checklist
- Run name and parcel searches for lis pendens and judgments—these often survive lien sales.
- Check building/HPD violations (NYC) or code cases (counties) for costly repairs or vacates.
- Confirm occupancy status; some foreclosures require post-sale eviction timelines.
- Verify water/sewer charges; they may not be cleared by a tax lien sale.
Official source links
- NY.gov
Official New York state portal and agency directory.
- New York State Property Tax
State property-tax resources and local assessment context.
- NYC ACRIS
Official New York City deed and document index for covered boroughs.