Problems At The Courthouse
I'm looking for leads to find motivated sellers.
Based on what I've been reading at this site, I decided to take a trip to the courthouse.
(I should also mention that I live in the area of two counties, so I can go to two courthouses for information).
The problem was that I was given the run around (and even looked at funny) when I asked about 'lis pendens', I was given the impression I was speaking a foreign language.
So I ended up calling the courthouse, only to be told that if I wanted to look at a list, it would cost me $350 per year.
I wonder if I was given the wrong info.
Maybe there's another way to approach this?
Lis pendens aren't the only thing I"m looking for. I"m wanting more information on divource notices, probate (husband/wife just died and is stuck with the house), and anything else that qualifies as finding a potentially motivated seller.
Any input would be great.
If you want to find motivated sellers why dont you target either pre-foreclosures in your area. I am sure there is a company out there that provides this service in your area for a small fee. I would also
start contacting all of the "Absentee" owners in your area. You can get this list from a Title Company if you sign up with them and start purchasing Title Insurance.
Best Riches,
Jeffrey Adam
[addsig]
That doesn't address my question at all.
It's pretty simple. I'm looking for a fairly straightforward answer to a fairly straightforward question. How about giving one?
Please read my post from beginning to end before answering.
THank you.
These documents are public record. In my county there is a public area to view documents electronically. It used to be done with microfilm. If there is a viewing area with either of these formats. Offer to buy some people in there a cup of coffe if you can ask them what you need to be looking for & where.
Good Luck
I can't understand why you would get a funny look from the employees at the couthouse, especially the way you respond to someone that is simply trying to help you out.
sml,
You asked about finding motivated sellers..Jeffrey Adam, answered that question based on his vast experience. These folks volunteer their time and expertise to help folks like us. I personally find your response to that assistance unnecessarily rude. Just my opinion.
Respectfully,
Barbann
Rude?
No. I've spent hours on this site, and days trying to figure out where to start.
I then spend half the day trying to find an answer to a very, VERY simple question. For my troubles, I was giving the run-around. INcluding someone claiming I'd need to spend anywhere from $10-350 to view what are considered public record.
I ask the same question on here and I'm STILL not given an answer, and you have enough nerve to call my RUDE?
I suppose YOU never had trouble starting out, huh?
Quote:
Lis pendens aren't the only thing I"m looking for. I"m wanting more information on divource notices, probate (husband/wife just died and is stuck with the house), and anything else that qualifies as finding a potentially motivated seller.
Any input would be great.
--------------------------------------------------------
Mr. SML:
I just gave you million-dollar advice.
Whether or not you use it is up to you!
Here is some advice. I would highly recommend you purchase Ron Legrands Cash Flow System on this site. Go to "shop" and then "consignment". This is 12k worth of material for only $200 bucks. Can beat it. I would also purchase John Lockes "subject to" manual. If you go thru both of these courses, you will have a good foundation. If you wanted to be a dentist, you would go to school wouldnt you? Well guess what, most real-estate
investors I know make more than my dentist!
In terms of your ideas of going to the courthouse and finding probate deals and any pertinent information on other leads. That is tedious and a lot of work.
With probate deals it is a long process and you can get beat out of your accepted offer in court if another investor offers 10% more than your already accepted offer.
I would again recommend if you are just starting out to first educate yourself by
purchasing the material I recommended above, coming to this site daily and reading all the articles and post that you can. It would be worth it for you to pay for
a list of people who are in pre-foreclosure and also go after "absentee"
owners who have vacant houses or
deadbeat tenants. All this information is free is you approach a TItle Company and start a relationship.
Education is the key!
Best Riches,
Jeffrey Adam
_________________
"The only place success comes before work
is in the dictionary."[ Edited by JeffreyAdam on Date 04/16/2004 ]
sml,
Glad to meet you.
True what you seek is public record, but some municipalities charge for this information. The way I am looking at what you were told, where you are they provide a list but you have to pay for this list, this is not really uncommon.
Lets talk a little about your area. Do they have computers set up where you can view property documents at your court house or recorders office?
Do they have a legal publication newspaper that lists, Bankruptcy, Notice of Defaults, Divorces, etc.?
Are records online where you are?
I think the problem here is that states differ, county's differ in how they operate, so giving advice for where you are is difficult until we know how things are set up.
Now you want to find motivated sellers, well I don't market to the people you are trying to reach, I reach them before they get to this point, when you can help them without coming out of your pocket except for U-Haul money. To me this makes better sense than making up back payments and dealing with self-denial folks.
However, just a couple of questions will help everyone understand where to direct you.
John $Cash$ Locke
sml,
I don't know which counties in your state you're interested in. Following is some info for St. Louis County:
county website: http://www.co.st-louis.mn.us
Check out the list of Departments (and contact information of individual people). For info on lis pendens filings, I think the County Recorder is the dept, and Court Administration (Family/Juvenile Court, Probate) should be able to tell you what info you can review relating to divorce notices and probate of estates (and if there's a fee for on-site access).
At the county website, see also Links (6th Judicial District that covers several counties and cities) and FAQ.
I also checked out your county recorder's office and to view their info online, you must pay a subscription fee of $100.00 per month.
Looks like you get to pay on line for what you get for free in person.
John (LV)
jfmlv1950,
The difficulty, however, is that the Subscriber Agreement and Exhibit A attached to it don't even identify the types of documents & info to which access would be provided.
sml,
I understand you are frustrated ,we have all been there. These folks (myself included) on this board will tell you everything you want to know, pretty much every step of the way. At least a " Hey thanks for your response but I am not sure you understood what I was asking" Instead of ....
Yes I do have the nerve..
It's pretty simple. I'm looking for a fairly straightforward answer to a fairly straightforward question. How about giving one?
Please read my post from beginning to end before answering
Sorry, no matter how many times I read it, it still sounds rude to me and at the very least, disrespectful.
Oh well just goes to show you how great the folks on this board are...they are still trying to clarify their answers for you.
Respectfully,
Barbann
PS. Yes I have had trouble starting out but I still didn't snipe at the people trying to help me.
Nancy,
A trip to the county recorder should probably resolve that for him.
All he needs to do is go there and ask.
Every time I talk to the county assessor or recorder office clerks, they bend over backwards for me.
I guess it is all in the approach.
John (LV)
jfmlv1950,
As my first post indicated, I wasn't proposing that sml try to do research online, but rather to use online resources to identify the particular department and get contact info of individuals.
I, too, have found civil servants--whether at county or township levels--to be extremely helpful.
Now that he has the ball...hopefully he will run with it.
John (LV)
My you all are nice people and what you say is true. I hate the thought of spending $100 a month for a Lis Pens line, but actualy it is rather cheap. I spend a great deal more then that plus I also have to put up with some pretty lippy people. Something about Court Houses, Hall of Records etc. etc. that draws the strange ones. But as time goes by you get to know them all and after buying lots of coffee, listening to their stories of their tough lifes at home. Etc. etc.
One day you walk in and they start grabbing your jacket as you go by. Have they got a lead for you. Of course on each goody hit, I give out small presents. Some poor career paper pusher at the County, you think he does not appreciate a $100 every now and then, just for telling me something about a Probate Estate, or a Divorce Action that is turning into a dual with six shooters. Now those are fun.
You take a Quit Claim from the Husband on the basis of really clobbering the Wife. You take a Quit Claim from the Wife on the basis of clobbering the Husband. And here is the fun part. You keep your word, you just clobbered both of them and there you stand with a confirmed insured Deed and you are so far below the True Market Value you need a snorkel to breath.
The BK with the falling down shack of little value. Nobody mention'd the brand new little 1000 sq.ft classic they just completed on the far side of the lot. Oh my everybody missed it. Except the Court House Runner who just ran some bills for material down, cause they did not make sense. Yip a goody.
I am on line with everything. I have a flat 17 inch screen and I run all kinds of lists and copies of Assessors documents and maps. But you know the funny thing. The most fun I have is hanging around the Superior Court and the Hall of Records. We do not have a Muni Court anymore, we combined them. Now that was an occasion at the Clerk of the Courts Office. First time I ever saw a Judges Clerk Cry. Total Frustration. We all took her out and propped her on a bar and loaded her up with double shots.
You see no matter where the world takes us in these high tek days. The people on top of the records they get it first and if they are approached you can get it first. All the stuff that nobody sees or that is miss filed. Yip, you can do well.
Of course with all this container stuff I am a little out of it. I mean making metal houses out of containers is interesting. But it has its hazzards. Termites now lay in wait I think they want to bite me!
But it was a lot of www.fun.I wonder if that judge still wears the pretty ladies underwear. I wonder if a clerk of the court still has a gin bottle on a string tied to her chair. I tied another bottle of ginger ale to her chair so she could have a chaser. Should have seen her face when she pulled on the two strings. Worth it. Fun times. I read the list of assets on a Divorce Pleading an hour before court time. Now thats an edge.
Cheers Lucius