You don’t want to rent a restored meth house, do you? What about a home that housed a ghastly murder? Or a home next to a perpetual party?
The rental price and the way a home looks are great, but you should do some background research into the stuff you can’t see before signing a lease.
Here’s where to get information about a house:
- County recorder – The county recorder’s office will have documents regarding who owns the home and any liens on it.
- Newspaper/online media – News stories often name the address of an involved home.
- Local court public records – See if you home or your potential neighbors’ homes have been involve in any lawsuits. Some courts have search functions on their premises. Others, not so much — you might have to use names.
- Police – If the home was the location of a crime, there should be a police report regarding it.
Learn more about how to rent a home.