Delaware County Property Search
Delaware County property records provide valuable information about real estate (i.e., land and everything attached to it) within the county's borders. Another term for real estate is real property.
Now and then, it becomes necessary for an inquirer to research a piece of property. This inquiry, known as a "property search," often occurs because of a potential sale or transfer of real estate interests. In such scenarios, a buyer may want to ensure a seller is legally authorized to carry out the transaction, or they may perform the search as part of their due diligence.
A Delaware County property search allows a buyer or other interested entity to determine if the property has any liens, mortgages, or legal claims that may affect its sale or value. It also reveals historical data about the property, including its title chain (past ownership history), land use/zoning restrictions, construction information, neighborhood trends, and related Delaware County Public Records. A property search can be conducted to resolve a legal dispute, such as a boundary line, zoning, easement, or inheritance matter.
Specific public departments are charged with preserving accurate, comprehensive, and permanent property records in Pennsylvania's counties. The Recorder of Deeds office is the primary custodian of property records in the County of Delaware, Pennsylvania. This office processes and preserves real property-related records for the county, as directed by law. Besides the Recorder of Deeds, the local Assessor's office also maintains some property records.
Are Delaware County Property Records Public?
Yes. Delaware County property records are public under Pennsylvania's Right-to-Know Law (RTKL). The RTKL presumes all state or local government agency records to be open to the public unless barred by law, judicial order, privilege (e.g., attorney-client), or an RTKL exemption. Accordingly, property records held by Delaware County's Recorder of Deeds office or another local public agency are deemed public information.
The RTKL identifies some records generally withheld from public disclosure to include:
- Personal financial information
- Social Security numbers
- Personal email addresses
- Marital status
- Home addresses of judges or law enforcement
- Home, cellular, or personal phone numbers
Statutorily exempt information is not retrievable from Delaware County property records.
What Do Delaware County Property Records Contain?
The contents of Delaware County property records differ according to the document type and the office maintaining a record.
Case in point: the Delaware County Recorder of Deeds office processes several real property documents for interested citizens, including mortgages, deeds, subdivision plans, powers of attorney, assignments and releases of mortgage, and judgments. While the details in these documents vary, a researcher may find the following:
- The legal description of the property in question
- The involved parties' names and signatures. For instance, a grantee and grantor, or mortgagor and mortgagee
- The recording date and year
- Instrument number and status
- Parcel ID
- Book and page number
- Number of pages
- Municipality in which the property lies
- Specific information about a transaction. For example, an amount owed and due date in a lien record, or the consideration amount, the grantee's address, the effective date, and the acreage of the land conveyed in a deed.
On the other hand, an individual searching for property records at the Assessor's office will be privy to assessment-related information, such as parcel details, owner information and history, assessment details, homestead status, construction details, tax records, building sketches, and maps.
Where to Perform a Delaware County Property Lookup
These options are available for researching real estate in Delaware County, Pennsylvania:
- The Delaware County Recorder of Deeds Office
- Online public access portals provided by the Delaware County Recorder of Deeds and Assessor's office
- Third-party property records databases
The subsequent headers contain details about performing a Delaware County property lookup using the above methods.
How to Perform a Property Owner Lookup in Delaware County
Property ownership information in Delaware County can be obtained from the local Recorder of Deeds and Assessor's offices.
The Recorder of Deeds Office
To search deeds (legal proof of real estate ownership or interests) and other property records at the Recorder of Deeds office, one can visit the address outlined below during regular business hours.
Government Center
Room 107
201 West Front Street
Media, PA 19063
Phone: (610) 891-4152
Alternatively, a person can access the Recorder's Public Access System with a name or parcel ID number to look up deeds and other records to verify a property's legal ownership. Guest and Registered User accounts are available.
A requester can inspect and copy deeds at the Recorder's office or via the office's online records portal. It costs 50 cents per page to order copies online and $1 per page to purchase copies at the Recorder's office. Physical property records provided by the Recorder of Deeds date back to 1789, while online records date back to 1799.
The Assessor's Office
Another way to obtain property ownership information in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, is to search the Delaware County Real Estate and Tax Records System, which furnishes access to the county assessment office's property records. Searches can be performed with a parcel ID or street address. Advanced and map search options are also available.
Members of the public can also enlist a title search company or real estate lawyer to find a property owner in Delaware County.
How to Find Delaware County Property Records Online
As explained earlier, individuals can find Delaware County property records online using county government portals. They can also access third-party aggregator websites to find these records online.
To search a third-party database, a person requires certain search parameters, typically a property owner's name, street address, or parcel/property ID. These details allow the system to find a match for the user's query. An advantage of using a third-party aggregator site is that users can search various geographical regions simultaneously, given that these systems collate records from different jurisdictions. This is especially helpful when searching outside Delaware County. However, a fee may apply to obtain comprehensive records.
It is good practice to verify information obtained from third-party sources against official sources for accuracy and completeness.
How to Find Property Owner by Address for Free
A property search by address in Delaware County retrieves real estate data, such as ownership information. Interested individuals can search for property ownership information by address using the county's Real Estate and Tax Records System.
Specifically, here's how to search the database:
- Go to the county government's website.
- Select "Public Access" from the top menu.
- On the next page, select "Real Estate Tax System" from the list. Then, select "Continue to Tax Records & Check your Homestead Status". This redirects the user to the Delaware County Public Access System.
- Choose "Search by Address".
- Enter a partial or complete address in the indicated boxes and click "Search".
The property owner's name will be listed in the search results column. The inquirer can also click a row to view additional property details, including the owner's mailing address.
Delaware County Property Tax Lookup
Several parties can benefit from a property tax lookup, including homeowners, potential real estate buyers and investors, realtors, and appraisers. The search offers key insights into a property's tax history and assessment, including the property's taxable value, tax exemptions, and outstanding tax liabilities. This information allows a researcher to determine tax burdens and obligations associated with a piece of property.
Property tax information in Delaware County is available to the public via the county's Real Estate/Tax System. This system can be searched with a street address or parcel ID to find county tax records.
How to Find Delaware County Property Appraiser
Anyone looking for a property appraiser in Delaware County can search the Pennsylvania Department of State's Licensing System Verification service. The State Board of Certified Real Estate Appraisers, a branch of the Pennsylvania Department of State's Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs, certifies real estate appraisers and assessors in Pennsylvania. As such, the database has the complete names, license numbers, license types and statuses, and locations of licensed appraisers in Delaware County, as well as other parts of the Commonwealth.
Property appraisers provide customized services to clients, including inspecting and evaluating property to determine its fair market value and preparing written reports of their analysis. Such appraisal reports are helpful for mortgage and insurance applications, estate planning, property purchases and sales, property assessments, and settling real estate disputes.
Delaware County Property Assessor
Delaware County Property Assessor's office (known as the Board of Assessment & Appeals) is located at the following address:
Government Center Building
201 West Front Street
Media, PA 19063
The Board is responsible for accurately assessing all properties within the county for taxation reasons. The county assessment office also determines applicable property tax exemptions and hears appeals regarding improper property tax assessments. Office contact numbers are available on the BOA's website.
