Who lives there?

[joeyp_IHB]

Ever wonder who lives lives in a certain house? Real estate professionals have access to this information, but the rest of us don't until now. Go to www.housefront.com and search. House Front is a zillow-like web site that gives you an estimate of the sales value, but it also tells you who owns the house. My cursory check verifies that ower information is approximately accurate. You must be logged in to see the house owner's name. Registration is free, or use

login:ihb

password:wtf

The web site keeps a history of searches, so if you are using ihb's account remember that everyone else can see what you searched for.

I believe IHB's protocol is to not name names, so please don't post names.

 

[marty mcfly_IHB]

Wow, another way to invade people's privacy over the internet. Note to self: hold property in generically named trust.

 

[IrvineCommuter_IHB]

I think the Marty Mcfly Living Trust works well. . . maybe some obscure reference to the Delorean.

 

[interloper_IHB]

This type of thing makes me wonder if it's worth staying in this country.

 

[marty mcfly_IHB]

Maybe the Flux Capacitor Living Trust.

 

[graphrix_IHB]

The site is a bit slow. I checked a few that I know are owned by the bank and they still show the old owner.

Even if you change the name on the title to a generic trust the owner can be found. That is why it is a public record and not private record.

 

[EvaLSeraphim_IHB]

>>Even if you change the name on the title to a generic trust the owner can be found

Really? That hasn't been my experience. Wanna share?

 

[graphrix_IHB]

It depends on the search. You can tell by the type of grant deed if Joe Smith transfers it to the EvaLSeraphim Living Trust. With that type of deed you know that Joe just put it into a trust. Maybe searching county records makes it difficult but you can get a title history from a title company. Most people don't change the name on a living trust and keep their last name.

 

[EvaLSeraphim_IHB]

Gotcha. I was thinking of a situation where the trust was already formed and the trust then bought the property, as opposed to a transfer or quitclaim to a trust.

 

[marty mcfly_IHB]

If the Flux Capacitor Living Trust bought a property you wouldn't be able to tell who the beneficiaries of the trust are by looking at the public records.

 

[graphrix_IHB]

Both are right.

 

[IRVINITEEEE_IHB]

Whoa that's a little creepy. I don't know if I think's it's right to give homeowners names to the public.

 

[No_Such_Reality_IHB]

Whoa that's a little creepy. I don't know if I think's it's right to give homeowners names to the public.

Um, isn't this like 1942 technology? Called the white pages phone book and reverse phone book for business.

Okay, okay, you couldn't see if the person living there actually owned it...

Personally, I think it will be a rather handy tool in my next rental search to verify I'm dealing with the actual building owner.