Bristol County Property Search
Bristol County property records collectively include all real properties, including buildings, facilities, structures, vehicles, lands, grounds, and parking lots owned, leased, or otherwise controlled by the County. When a property is bought or handed over to a new owner, all old and new information about that property is to be officially documented at the County registry of deeds.
In Bristol County, Massachusetts, property record information is typically dispensed by the Bristol County Registry of Deeds, which is divided into three districts: the Southern District Registry of Deeds (consisting of New Bedford, Acushnet, Dartmouth, Fairhaven, and Westport) with its office in New Bedford; the Fall River District Registry of Deeds (comprising Fall River, Freetown, Somerset and Swansea), with its office in Fall River; and the Northern District Registry of Deeds (which includes the remainder of the County), with its office in Taunton. The Registry of Deeds records and preserves records related to property ownership, mortgages, liens, and other relevant documents, ensuring their accessibility to the public.
Are Bristol County Property Records Public?
Yes. Massachusetts Public Records Law allows public access to property records. However, there are certain property record information considered private and hence restricted from public access. This includes property information such as:
- Social security numbers
- Financial account details
- Change-in-ownership data
- Statement of property data
- Information that would invade individual privacy, trade secrets, public policy development memos, and investigative materials
- Information that provides undue advantage, for example, in a public bidding or proposal.
What Do Bristol County Property Records Contain?
The information featured in a Bristol County property record is directly related to the type of documents being considered and the entities that preserve and release them. For example, in a property record maintained by the Bristol County Assessor’s Office, an individual is likely to find:
- Title Records
- Tax Records
- Ownership Records
- Mortgage Records
- Building Permits and Inspection Records
The components of typical property records include the following:
- Property Identification (city, house address, street number, zip code, plat map, etc)
- Ownership Information (names of the current and immediate past owner, and so on)
- Sales and Purchase Information (date of purchase, amount bought, etc)
- Tax Assessment and Payment History
- Building and Zoning Information
- Geographical Information System (GIS) is a computer system that stores, captures, analyzes, and displays geographically referenced information.
Where to Perform a Bristol County Property Lookup
When it comes to looking up property in a county, there are several options available.
- Online, on the county registry of deeds page
- The County Assessor's Office
- The County Recorder's Office
- Online Property Search Websites
- Title Companies
Online Via The Bristol County Registry of Deeds
The Bristol County of Deeds is divided into the
- Northern District Registry of Deeds [Attleboro, Berkley, Dighton, Easton, Mansfield, No.Attleborough, Norton, Raynham, Rehoboth, Seekonk, Taunton]: Go to the Northern Bristol County Massachusetts Registry of Deeds website and click "records search". From here, the user can search land court, recorded land, plan inquiry, or image search. They can also view images of registered land before 1885 and use any other search criteria provided.
- Southern District Registry of Deeds [Acushnet, Dartmouth, Fairhaven, New Bedford, Westport]: To perform a county property lookup online, visit the County's Register of Deed website, click on "records search" on the homepage, and click on the mass land records prompt. This redirects the user to a page where they can choose from multiple criteria, including the custodial office of the records, the search type (name search, date record, property search, book search, or document search), etc. For instance, a "name search" provides boxes for names, a "date recorded" search provides boxes for inputting the date, etc.
- Fall River District [Fall River, Somerset, Swansea, Freetown]: Here, users can conduct a Recorded Land Name Search, Certified Date Range (from 1st March, 947 till the present), and the Last Recorded Document Number.
Mail Requests
One can order certified official documents and have them mailed, emailed, or faxed. For the mailing option, the requester must use the records search to find the book and page information:
- They must use the site to find the book and page information.
- Include them in the request, including the registered land document number.
- Indicate the preferred means of receiving document copies by email, mail, or fax.
How to Perform a Property Owner Lookup in Bristol County
To perform a property owner lookup in Bristol County, an individual must consider the city and district under which the property falls. The three districts under Bristol County have their Registry of Deeds website where users can search street address and street number to find the property owner's name in search results.
Alternatively, one may opt to visit the office in person. All appointments are made online. On the appointment day, provide the required information and pay the necessary fees to access the desired record.
The registers also receive mail requests. Interested persons may mail requests to:
County of Bristol
9 Court Street
P.O. Box 208
Taunton, MA 02780
Phone: (508) 824-9681
Another option is to use third-party vendors offering address searches for Bristol County properties.
How to Find Bristol County Property Records Online
When finding county property records online, one option is to directly access the County's official website and use the available search parameters to find the sought-after documents.
Another option is to use third-party aggregate databases that often provide extra features and functionalities to conduct property records searches.
For instance, some aggregate database websites expand search parameters to include some parameters that are unavailable on the County's official records website.
Some of these sites require a sign-in or subscription to access advanced features.
How to Find Property Owner by Address for Free
Massachusetts law allows public access to property records and protects certain information's privacy. Searchers can visit the official registry of deeds website of Bristol County and use their property search tool.
Southern District: To find the owner of an address in any of the cities classified under the Southern District, one must visit the New Bedford Register of Deeds website. Clicking "search records" redirects to an external site where searchers can search property addresses by street number and name. The result reveals the property owner for free.
Northern District: The Northern Bristol registry of Deeds (Taunton) lets users find property owners through street name and number searches for free.
Midland District: Fall River deeds lets users search property owners by inputting the property street number and address.
Bristol County Property Tax Lookup
To look up property tax information in Bristol County, one can visit the official website of the Bristol County Assessor's Office or the Bristol County Treasurer's Office. These websites typically have a property search feature where one can enter the property address or the owner's name to retrieve the tax information. Alternatively, one can contact the Bristol County Assessor's Office or the Bristol County Treasurer's Office directly to obtain property tax information at:
9 Court Street
Taunton, MA 02780
Phone: (508) 824-9681
Fax: (508) 821-3101
How to Find Bristol County Property Appraiser
According to Massachusetts G. L. c. 112, § 173, an appraiser conducts a written analysis, opinion, or conclusion regarding specified properties' nature, quality, value, or utility. In Massachusetts, County property appraisers must meet all necessary qualifications and licensing as stated in Section 174: Real estate appraiser titles, certification or licensing, opinions.
To find an appraiser in Bristol County, use online directories to find a list of appraisers; check for directories such as the local business directories for property appraisers. These directories often provide information such as first name, last name, company name, mail city, mail zip, county, license level, license number, license status, current license valid search range, license renewal valid search range, and brief descriptions of the services offered. One can verify the licenses on the Massachusetts Board of Real Estate Appraisers website.
A county appraiser typically offers the following services:
- They determine the market value of a property.
- They provide detailed reports that include the property's value, supporting data, and explanations of the valuation process.
- They visit the property to assess its condition, features, and any improvements or renovations.
- They offer professional advice and guidance regarding property value, market trends, and potential improvements that could increase the property's worth.
- They determine the value of properties in Bristol County for tax purposes by assessing the market value of properties based on their location, condition, size, and comparable sales information of similar properties.
Bristol County Property Assessor
According to Massachusetts general laws, the Bristol County assessor is responsible for assessing county taxes annually. The Bristol County property assessor provides the following service:
- Calculating the property tax owed by each property owner in Bristol County based on the assessed value of the property and the local tax rate.
- Processing applications for property tax exemptions and abatements. These may include exemptions for senior citizens, veterans, or disabled individuals, as well as discounts for properties that have been damaged or need repair.
- Handling appeals from property owners who believe their property has been misjudged before review by the Massachusetts Appellate Tax Board (ATB)
- Providing educational resources and information to property owners about the assessment process, tax laws, and available exemptions.
