property search is often

History Detectives . Investigative Techniques . Property Search | PBS -- Purpose To obtain historical data about a place and/or persons associated with it. Method A property search is often part of a larger investigation, perhaps for genealogical purposes, or to prepare for renovation of a home. The main resources are legal documents (collectively referred to as land records) including original grants, deeds, mortgages, leases and tax records. Because these documents were the legal proof of ownership and inheritance, all relevant facts were recorded, and archives were kept in standardized locations. Using these land records and related sources, a property search can produce several types of historical evidence, including: biographical details about the owners, from first to last; construction information such as the building date, architect and builder, and sometimes the original plans and cost of construction. Supporting data may be found in probate, tax and insurance records, building permits, old maps and atlases, census files, and other period materials. Although a property search can provide critical facts, some researchers are put off by the problems. For example, it can be hard to navigate the archive levels (e.g. city, state, national). Some material is indexed by number instead of name. Some transactions were recorded years after the event, or not at all. Above all, these are generally secondary-source documents, copied from originals retained by owners. If they were copied by hand, the records may have errors, and the writing can be difficult to decipher. Despite these issues, land records are still a prime place to search for missing pieces of a historical puzzle. Test how much you know about researching property. Take our Property Proficiency Quiz now. Where to next? Get More Leads . Back to Top PBS Privacy Policy | © 2003-2005 Public Broadcasting Service all rights reserved Home | About History Detectives | Case Files | Investigative Techniques | Do It Yourself Games & Quizzes | Submit Your Mystery | Classroom Resources | Glossary | Contact Us

Las Vegas Real Estate

vegasHOMEsearch-Search Homes, Agents and specials. Click Here to search our database of existing homes in Las Vegas, Henderson, North Las Vegas, and the Summerlin area. New Homes Looking for a custom or new home in Nevada? Check out our new homes section and meet the top custom and new home builders in our area. Lenders Visit our Lenders page and find at your fingertips information on mortgage and loan programs. Search local job listings, post your resume, or meet local employers. Click Here Home Improvement Quick find links to anything and everything about homes. Click Here CLICK HERE for the best apartment deals in Las Vegas Click Here Best Rates in Las Vegas with No Points or Origination Fees. Click Here Real Estate School Become a Real Estate Agent in Nevada or transfer your existing license. Click Here Buy a Home Sell a Home Agent List Company List Job Listings Apartments Property Alert Our new " Property Search Engine" will keep you updated on every NEW listing that meets your criteria. Instant updates from the MLS to your e-mail. You will know about homes new to the market before most realtors. School Reports FREE report on any school in the state. Find out if you're looking in the right neighborhood. Each 12-page report can display up to 3 school districts side-by-side for easy comparison. Veterans $1000 Incentives toward all Veteran Financing. Virtual Tours Open 24 hours a day, tour these homes without a Realtor present to ask any annoying questions. New Homes FREE package, info on all the new home communities. Don't miss out on any of the NEW HOMES specials, we keep you informed. FREE List $0 Down, no qualifying homes, owner financing and foreclosure homes. Bad credit, no credit or 1st time buyers, this information will get you into a new home. Veterans $1 down. FREE Video Las Vegas relocation video from Remax Central. Everything you wanted to know about Southern Nevada. Relocation The most complete Las Vegas Relocation Package is now available.. Retire in Las Vegas Find the best adult oriented communities in the valley. Luxury Homes FREE Info on Luxury View, Waterfront and Horse properties, Golf and Gated communities for sale or lease. Show Case of Homes Take a tour of the REMAX "Showcase of Homes." Free Magazine! Get your FREE copy of Homes Illustrated Magazine. FREE Market Analysis Find out how much your current home is worth. This report also includes information on recently sold homes in your neighborhood. SPECIAL : NW Spacious 2 Story with large mature backyard 1870 Sq. Ft. 3 bedrooms and 3 full baths (1 downstairs), plus a downstairs den that could be the 4th bedroom. Beautiful back yard with large palm trees and rose bushes. Open kitchen with picture window to backyard, large island, built-in hutch and menu planning area. Judy Phebus ABR, CRB, CRS, GRI, LTG,SRES Broker/Salesman Priced : $172,000 Judy Phebus Direct: 702.596.1229 Toll Free: 877.595.1229 Fax: 702.873.4214 Email: judye@judyephebus.com 2001 Advanced Internet Marketing , all rights reserved.

Buy House

Checklist for buying a house Get up to 4 MortgageOffers. When Banks Compete, You Win! Your House Buying Checklist Oneof the most important things you can do is to make a checklist as you search for, find and buy a home. By keepingon top of your game-plan at all times you will greatly increase your chances of success. To save time, bookmarkthis page and refer to the following checklist frequently. Follow the links, print out this checklist and let itincrease your house buying effectiveness. House Buying Checklist Be an informed buyer. There are well over 150 pages of information hereas well as links to much more information. Numerous guides are available on specific subjects. Our Bookstore had additional recommendedreading. Gather as much information as you can. You can keep up-to-date by subscribing to our free newsletter and by visitingthe What's New page. Want more information on the process of home buying? Get the Home Buyer's Defense Guide andget 6 free bonuses. Buying your firsthome ? See the page devoted to first time home buying . Familiarize yourself with the mortgage process. Have mortgage questions ? Need a few mortgage tips ? See the sections devoted to those subjects. Begin the application process by getting prequalified and preapproved from a Mortgage Lender. Do this first. Your Agent will need your mortgage qualification, and it will significantlystrengthen your offer when you find a home. At Lending Tree , you can submit a quick andeasy application, and within 2 business days get up to 4 offers from lenders so that you can compare terms and rates . Get your financialpicture in focus as soon as possible. Since it is an importantcomponent, be aware of your credit situation. You can get a free copy of your credit report or, see the credit center for additional resources for getting your credit report. The best time to work on your budget is before you move. Want to maximize your financial picture? See the section devoted to budget hints . Wondering about how much time is needed to buy a home? See the sample homebuying timeline . Find an Agent that you trust. It is important to do this before you go rushing off looking for homes or you may end up with norepresentation. See the Agency and BuyerAgent pages for important discussions regarding "who representswho." Looking to find an Agent? Click here to choose an Agent in your area .You can compare backgrounds, experience and more. Thinking about doing it on your own? See the section on buying on your own for things watch for. Determine your housing needs and wants to determine what typesof houses you should be considering. Familiarize yourself with the various types of housing available: Single family , townhouse ,and condo . If you are planning on buying or building a new home, see our section devotedto building a house including house building tips , resources and howto find a contractor . Have general questions about buying a home? See the questions homebuyers ask page. Still have a question about a Real Estate term or its definition? See our Real Estate Glossary . A question on a mortgage term? See the Mortgage Glossary . House Hunting Time! First, see the article devoted to finding the right home . Then,make a scorecard for each house to help you keep track of the properties you've seen. Familiarize yourself with howto set a value on a house . This can save you a great deal oftime and helps to avoid disappointment. When you find an acceptable house, write an offer . Familiarize yourselfwith how offers become contracts . Need examples of offers and contracts available for your state? See FIndLegalForms.com Negotiate your best deal using the information you have acquired. If you haven't already done so, apply for a mortgage loan . Arrange for homeinspection . Protect yourself and do not skip this step! Learn about homewarranties and what they cover. Compare and secure homeownersinsurance . Since homeowners insurance is a long term expense,getting the best deal here brings savings that continue. Arrange for closing agent or attorney. Make all final preparations for closing . Make movingplans . If you plan to use a moving company, make comparisonsand reserve time now. Secure final loan approval and commitment from the lending institution.If you have done your "up-front" work, this should be one of your easiest steps. Do a final walkthrough of the house. Final closingand settlement . Let us know what you liked or disliked about thisweb site! Move to your new home and begin enjoying it--you deserve it! Subscribe to the Home Buyer's Information Center newsletter Get Your Credit Score Compare Mortgage Offersat LendingTree.com COMPARE Mortgages Agents Insurance TheHome Buyer Defense Guide with 6 FREE BONUSES Searchfor Agents Anonymously Free Credit Report Find Homes at Bargain.com RECOMMENDED READING TheHome Buyer Defense Guide with 6 Free Bonuses Home Buying For Dummies (you won'tbe after reading this book!) 10 Steps to Home Ownership Simple, concisestep-by-step guide HOME | Your Checklist | To-Do Lists | Agents | Mortgages | Questions | Finda Home | Inspections | Research | More Links | Bookstore

Real Estate Loan

Find Your Home Value, House Values and Prices on Yahoo! Real Estate Find Your Home Value, House Values and Prices Choose Location Home Homes for Sale Apartments for Rent Home Loans Moving & Insurance Tools My Real Estate Real Estate > Resources & Tools > Home Values and Prices Features Classifieds • Sell Your Home • Rent Your Apartment Home Search • Find Homes for Sale • Find Properties for Rent REALTORS • Find & Compare REALTORS Mortgages & Financing • Find a Lender • Today's Mortgage Rates • Loan Calculators • Credit Reports • Refinance Loans Resources • Moving Services • Foreclosure Center Neighborhood Research • What's My Home Worth? • School Profiles • Neighborhood Profiles Specialty Property • Foreclosures • New Homes • Commercial Real Estate • List Commercial Real Estate Home Improvement & Services • Home Services • Home Improvement Library • House Facts Get Home Values and Prices Sponsored by Get Home Values and Prices Access millions of public real estate records instantly! This comparable sales data helps you analyze the value of your home or other homes in seconds. Results include price, square footage, bedrooms, and year built (where available). You can also get a custom home valuation from a top-performing local REALTOR! Street Address: City & State or Zip: Sponsored Links Refinance Your Mortgage and Save! Refinance your current mortgage at today's extremely low rates. Get quotes from lenders offering the lowest refinancing rates available. Links. networklender.com Refinance Calculator Omni One Mortgage is committed to building one relationship at a time. We can service any type of loan, stated income, no doc, fixed, interest only, less than perfect credit no problem. www.omnionemortgage.com Refinance Calculator Considering refinancing? Get free quotes from multiple lenders. Takes only 2 minutes. Refinance with or without a perfect Credit. Find great low rates today. c.azjmp.com Refinance Calculator at Homestore.com Calculate home loan payments and check out our free mortgage lender directory. We've got all the information you need to find the loan that's right for you. homestore.com (Become a Sponsor) Homes For Sale - Apartments For Rent - Current Mortgage Rates - Real Estate Agents - Local - Yellow Pages

Buy Property

Buying Property in France Web TransitionsAbroad.com Home Work Study Travel Living As seen in Transitions Abroad Magazine March/April 2000 Related Topics Living Abroad Related Articles Legal Living in France Moving to France Buying a Home in France Property in France How to Find It, Buy It, And Live in It By Phyllis Cohen Buying property in France is not just for movie stars and celebrities. Ordinary people with a passable knowledge of French (or a friend who speaks it) and a lot of patience can acquire a bit of magic too. But before you attempt it, arm yourself with knowledge of how to find your special place, how to buy it, and how to live in it. Finding the Place As you look for what you want, here are several things to bear in mind: Don’t expect American state-of-the-art appliances, floor layouts, or conveniences. Part of the charm of old buildings is that they are old, and that includes the kitchens and plumbing. Decide if you want a pied-à-terre (a small place where you can comfortably stay for several weeks or months at a time) or a year-round residence. Generally, an apartment is sold with an empty kitchen—four walls and a water outlet. There are stores that will help you design and install your own kitchen, ranging from pre-fabricated cabinets at IKEA to a kitchen created by cuisinistes . Get at least three estimates as well as references before selecting your vendor. If you will be in a city, decide whether or not you will have a car. Parking in Paris is difficult; having a parking place can greatly increase the resale value of your place. France offers a wide variety of locales. Before you go to the effort of buying something, you really need to explore. Paris itself is divided into 20 arrondissements , each with its own character. If you are willing to live in the banlieue , or suburbs, prices drop dramatically. Properties in the countryside are considerably cheaper. Finding the right house or flat is more complicated than in the U.S. There is no such thing as Multiple Listings in France. Only 30 percent of real estate transactions occur with the help of realtors; the rest are directly between buyer and seller. As a foreigner, you might be more comfortable working through an agent, or agent immobilier , who knows the laws of France. Getting Started Let’s say you’ve decided to buy an appartement in Paris. Walk the streets to find an area you like, then hunt down some agencies that look promising. You can also check out the listings and realtors in various magazines, newspapers, and on the Internet. There is relatively little new construction in Paris. Those apartment complexes that are being developed are usually sold when ground is first broken; in other words, you basically buy an apartment two years before it is completed. Occasionally, you will find almost-completed apartments listed in newspapers and real estate magazines.If you are truly brave, you can buy a place at auction. Notices appear in newspapers such as Le Figaro and the International Herald Tribune. Let the buyer beware. At least take an architect with you when you go to look at the offering. Reading Listings No matter where you find your listings, they will all be posted as À Louer (For Rent) and À Vendre (To Buy). They will also tell you what arrondissement (if in Paris) or département (if in the rest of the country) the property is located in. Perhaps most importantly, they will give you the size in square meters and the number of rooms. Most apartments in Paris are small. Studios are 100-200 square feet, some smaller. Three-bedroom apartments are frequently under 1,000 square feet. Listings will tell you how many rooms there are other than the kitchen. A studio is one room. A one-bedroom apartment will have two pièces, or two rooms, plus the kitchen. Bedrooms are almost uniformly small, while the living rooms are comparatively large. Bear in mind that the French follow the European convention of counting the first floor as the ground floor (Rez-de-Chauseé or RdC); the second floor in American terminology is the first floor in Europe. Generally, the higher the floor, the more expensive the property. Closing the Deal Once you have decided on a place you like at a mutually-agreed upon price, you and the seller sign a document known as a promesse de vente . This is a legally binding document that confirms that the seller must sell the property to the buyer. The buyer, however, has 11 days to change his mind. The seller must also provide to the buyer an accurate floor plan of the apartment or house. All sales in France are conducted with notaires. Both the buyer and seller has his own notaire and they confirm that all aspects of the sale are done according to law. If you are buying a condominium, there will be a set of rules that govern the building. As an owner, you are a co-proprietaire and are bound by the laws of the building. Owners collectively determine such things as whether you are allowed to install a satellite antenna on your balcony, whether the building as a whole will subscribe to cable TV, how often and how much money will be spent on repainting the walls, etc. Do not make the mistake (as we did) of not personally reading all regulations before you sign. As a foreigner, it is advisable to hire an avocat , or lawyer, who specializes in real estate. In case of a disagreement, you are far better off having someone who knows the law and knows how to speak French. Tax Considerations Before buying property in France, you should know that the Government of France has very specific inheritance laws. By law, on your death your property is divided equally between your spouse and your surviving children. There are some steps you can take to ensure that the surviving spouse can continue to live in the house or flat. Speak with a lawyer about this before you buy the property. You will pay between 8 and10 percent in taxes and fees. If you buy an apartment less than five years old, however, you will pay only 3 to 5 percent or less. Ask also about property taxes, which tend to be less in Paris than in the country. Generally, you will be responsible for both a land and a habitation tax. A larger question is your residency status. If you reside in France full time and earn a living here, you will become part of the French social system. The taxes are extraordinarily high (more than 50 percent). Again, you should seek the advice of a tax attorney who is familiar with both the American and French taxation systems. You can get a list of attorneys from the U.S. Consulate. Financing If you are able to pay cash for your new home, you will not need a mortgage, and many properties for sale in the country might well be within reach of your savings kitty. If you need a mortgage, things become a bit more complicated. A French bank will issue a mortgage to expats as long as you can show regular income. By French law the total of all of your mortgage payments worldwide cannot be more than 30 percent of your total income.Lastly, you must have mortgage insurance for a large mortgage and a physical examination at the bank’s expense. If you do not fall neatly into an income category (e.g., you are retired without a fixed income), Banque Woolwich is a good resource. The staff are used to dealing with expats and speak excellent English (Banque Woolwich, 9, rue Boudreau, 75009 Paris; 011-331-42-684-221, fax 011-331-474- 203-23; www.woolwich.co.uk ). Mary Fort is branch manager.The good news is that mortgages in France currently have excellent rates. Most mortgages (or “prets”) are for 15 years and currently run 4.5 percent annually. Once you are here in France, an excellent book to read is At Home in Paris , published by the Junior Service League of Paris. It gives all sorts of hints on differences of living in the States versus France (like how to make sure your laundry pipes don’t clog up with deposits). Living in France is a free publication, in English, that gives useful information on housing, employment, banking, insurance, etc. It can be found at various establishments around Paris that cater to foreigners. To absorb the flavor of a buying experience, read Peter Mayle’s A Year in Provence or Francis Mayes’ Under the Tuscan Sun. Both give agonizingly accurate pictures of the adventure of buying property abroad. All in all, buying property in France might seem like a daunting experience, but it is not an unpleasant one. Contrary to France’s reputation of being inhospitable to foreigners, we have found the opposite to be true. With the notable exception of a few surly cab drivers, we have found the French to be polite and helpful. And as we take our evening walks across the Alexander III bridge we can’t help but be amazed that a small part of this City of Lights belongs to us! Real Estate Listings De Particulier A Particulier (From Buyer to Seller), published weekly on Thursdays, is the most popular nationwide resource. L’Hebdo Immobilier (Weekly Realtor), published weekly on Wednesdays, also has an Internet site at www.immobilierenfrance.com . Demeures de France, a bi-monthly publication that specializes in upscale offerings, is in English and in French and also has an Internet site at www.demeures.com . Demeures de Charme is similar to Demeures de France, and is also in English and in French. FUSAC , a bi-weekly free publication for English-speaking residents of Paris, has advertisements for rentals, purchases, and agencies which can help you do either. FUSAC is available at many locations around the city including W.H. Smith and Brentano’s, two English-language bookstores. PHYLLIS COHEN and her husband Bob have taken a year off from their software company, packed their bags, and moved to Paris (See " Moving to France " in the January February Issue of Transitions Abroad Magazine). Web TransitionsAbroad.com Home Work Study Travel Living Disclaimer ©Transitions Abroad