Big. Huge. Gigantic. This is all I can say about the St Tammany Parish Clerk of Court. Their website St Tammany Clerk of Court Main plays a big, huge, gigantic, role in researching real estate. If you are looking at investing in real estate in St Tammany Parish, I strongly suggest you learn your way around the Clerk of Court. If you are looking at investing in any parish, get to know your Clerk of Court.
First off, here is a map with all of the courthouses marked. St Tammany Parish Map
St Tammany Parish public records are available online at St Tammany Parish Public Records. There is a catch though, with the public access you cannot view or print any of the documents, so you cannot complete your research unless you physically go to the courthouse, or if you pay for the premium online access St Tammany Public Records Premium Access Information.
I am adding the Tangipahoa Parish Clerk of Court as well and is available online at Tangipahoa Parish LA Clerk of Court Main, and you can access their online public records at Tangipahoa Parish Public Records. However you cannot print any of the material from their website either, unless you pay. They put large bleeder bars across the documents so if you print them they are not any good.
Last but not least is Washington Parish, whom does not have their public records available online yet. However here is a map to the Washington Parish Courthouse, Franklinton, LA, because this where the Washington Parish Clerk of Court is located. The Assessor Washington Parish Assessor Main is located in this building, and I am providing a link to the Washington Parish Government On line Washington Parish Government , just for s and g.
I am going to make another post for Assessors, and the knowledge you can get by researching through their websites or public records, but for now I am focusing on the Clerk of Court. So....
Now the meat. With the clerk of court some of the main things you can do and will want to do if you are looking at real estate is;
Research title. which includes alot of information. I will always recommend purchasing title insurance when purchasing a property. It is for your protection, and I have seen someone not purchase it and pay the price. Now in that case there were some extenuating circumstances, however, buy title insurance. Title can be very important if say you are looking at buying a foreclosure, you have to research the title prior to bidding at the sale, because there are no give-backs at the foreclosure sales, and if you are not prepared you can make a mistake. Mistakes are not something you can afford to do, literally. You can pay for a title search and review, there are many title companies in the phone book. However here are two main ones I can recommend.
Stewart Title in Mandeville - Ken Moran, 985-727-2700, and
Crescent Title in Mandeville - Kirk Frosch, 985-626-3445
as well I can recommend an Abstractor who works in the courthouse in St Tammany on a daily basis. Julie Anderson - 985-630-8343. A very knowledgeable woman.
Title is very important as well if you are looking at tax sale properties. Any property you purchase, title is important, however if you are looking at purchasing, what I will call, an unconventional property
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like a foreclosure,
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or a FSBO, for sale by owner,
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a short sale property, (a combination of a foreclosure and a FSBO, where the purchaser negotiates with the lien holders prior to a foreclosure and discounts / short sales the loans against the property. All of this with the written consent and agreement of the current homeowner, soon to lose their property. One of the main features of a short sale is proof of hardship.)
As an investor these may be properties you are working to purchase and you need to make sure you have clear title on all types of these properties. If you purchase a property through a real estate agent or brokerage, title companies will be provided for you, but in these cases you are on your own.
Now understand it is as simple as opening a phone book and finding a title attorney to have the "chain of title" researched on any property, however as an investor you will have to sift through potentially many properties to find the diamond in the rough so to speak. The right property. Quantity equals expense, especially when it comes to lawyers.
Having a basic knowledge of title research is a valuable tool if you are looking at investing in property. You can save yourself time and money by pre-qualifying potential properties. Even for something as simple as researching the last deed or mortgage against a property. Find out, When the current owner bought the home? What the current owner paid for the home? Is there just one mortgage on the property, or is there a second mortgage as well? This knowledge can strengthen your bargaining position.
Louisiana is a full disclosure state, which means, anytime a mortgage or deed is filed in the State of LA, this paperwork must be filed / executed with the local Clerk of Court and made public record. Which means I can find out what you paid for your house. For any house.
Mississippi is not a full disclosure state. If I remember correctly, over 90% + of the states are full disclosure states. It is a rarity not to be one. However, there are companies in Mississippi you can subcontract this research too, if needed. In Louisiana we do not have that problem.
Give me shout if I can help you with anything.
Thank You
Marc
Thank You
Marc Pellettiere Realtor®
Scoggin Properties / GMAC
100 Innwood Drive, Suite A
Covington, LA 70433
985-867-8670
