My Deed Doesn't Say When My House Was Built

Explanation of Deeds

• The most common deeds for homes are general warranty deeds and special warranty deeds. These deeds outline ownership interest for three parties: the buyer, the seller and the lender. The covenants in the deeds transfer ownership from the seller to the buyer, and reinforce the payment responsibilities between the buyer and their lender. While a deed may seem all-inclusive, it will not contain your construction information.

Finding Construction Information

• The county clerk's offices have records of property developments within a city. To discover construction information, you can visit the clerk's office and search information by the address, uncovering city planning and development data relating to the year your property was constructed.

Additional Information Sources

• Real estate agents and title companies have a powerful data mining tool at their fingertips: the MLS (multiple listing service). In many instances, agents and escrow officers can search the database to find out detailed information about your home, including the year it was constructed. Most agents and title companies will do this for free or for a very nominal fee.