Homeowners, contractors, and other professionals in the real estate and construction industries may find it valuable to know how to perform a basic lien search. The information provided in a lien search can answer important questions about a person’s solvency when it comes to creating a new contract.
Properties with liens against them may also be good prospective properties for future investments. While liens will not always lead to foreclosures, they often do, and it can be helpful to keep an eye on the status of certain liens.
For both involuntary and voluntary liens, you can use the following instructions to discover lien information on a particular individual or company. The main way to approach a search for a lien is through your local county clerk’s office. They will have documentation of all properties in the area and can provide a wealth of useful information about these properties.
Searching Records at the County Clerk’s Office
Almost all clerks’ offices provide the public with the ability to search their records online. But did you know you can use CourthouseDirect.com to find lien information in more than 1,000 Texas counties. Our Texas Adverse Lien search allows users to find the following information in one easy to use portal:
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Internal Revenue Liens
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Abstracts of Judgment
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State Tax Liens
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Hospital Liens
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Child Support Liens
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Mechanic's & Materialman’s Liens
Users can search by party name or file date and then click the ‘search’ button to find all related documents in the county. Immediately you will find the grantor and grantee information, document type, file date, document ID number and other information related to the lien you are searching for.
Then, you will have the option to utilize CourthouseDirect.com further and purchase your intended document. In the document you will find information regarding the lien, including notices, debts owed, dates, lender information, and more.
When searching for liens, remember to consider these aspects of the search function.
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Search setup. The setup of searches may vary slightly from county to county. If you have any questions about your search, you can always call the clerk’s office for help with finding the best way to search for the information you need.
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Name format. It may be necessary to try searching names in a few different formats, such as using abbreviations or excluding a middle initial. Entry into the system may vary depending on how a name is listed on documentation.
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Abbreviations. You may need to familiarize yourself with the abbreviations used in your county to describe the type or condition of the lien. For instance, one abbreviation might indicate a judgment while another might indicate a power of attorney or a release. A simple Google search for “lien abbreviations in [your state]” will likely lead you to information about abbreviations used by the county clerk’s office.
In some cases, you may have to physically contact the county clerk office to find the specific document you seek. If the information is available, they can help you find it.
