look at the wording in the mortgage and recording dates. Make friends with someone at a title company and inquire about thier searches. Pick their brains
In foreclosure situations, if you start with the original Deed when the Defendent purchased the property, usually the mortgage filed within a digit or two of the Deed is the first mortgage.
There are exceptions though. What if the property was bought subject to? How about a property purchased prior to the start of on-line records? How about family transfers? Property passed down to family members during Probate, but Privacy Act considerations do not allow the Probate records on line? Etc, etc.
If a purchase is imminent, and you need to be sure...pay the $50.00 or so for a title search.
[addsig]
One method would be to compare the filing date with any other mortgage liens. The first to record usually holds the senior position.
look at the wording in the mortgage and recording dates. Make friends with someone at a title company and inquire about thier searches. Pick their brains
In foreclosure situations, if you start with the original Deed when the Defendent purchased the property, usually the mortgage filed within a digit or two of the Deed is the first mortgage.
There are exceptions though. What if the property was bought subject to? How about a property purchased prior to the start of on-line records? How about family transfers? Property passed down to family members during Probate, but Privacy Act considerations do not allow the Probate records on line? Etc, etc.
If a purchase is imminent, and you need to be sure...pay the $50.00 or so for a title search.
[addsig]