Legal Question in Real Estate Law in California

Re: how to find property owners name

If there is a street address the county assessor should be able to give the assessor parcel number and the address to which the tax bills are mailed. This should provide sufficient information to locate the property owner. A title company may also be able to provide you with this information.

Re: how to find property owners name

It's a two-step process, and in many counties it can all be done on line. Step one is to obtain the assessor's parcel number (APN). This can be done by finding the maps....generally, starting with an index map that covers a larger part of the county, then a particular map sheet that shows individual parcels. If you have an address, you may be able to bypass finding the map and get the APN by entering the address. This information would usually be on the county assessor's Web site, but practices differ between counties.

The next step is to find the owner (or person to whom the taxes are assessed, it may be different) on the treasurer or tax collector's Web site.

I have done this on line in Marin and San Bernardino Counties. In Sonoma, one would need to know the address or APN, because the parcel maps aren't on line. In Lassen County, nothing is on line. Also, navigating in some of the county Web sites is confusing at first.

The alternative is to visit the county offices in question in person.

A final step you might want to try, after you know the APN and the name of the apparent current owner or assessee, is to look at recorded documents indexed to the property at the recorder's office.