Search free Massachusetts property, land, and tax records through local government assessors, auditors, clerks, property appraisers, deeds recorders, treasurers, tax collectors, city halls, and town halls.
Assessors are responsible for determining the value of property in order to determine property taxes. Assessors collect data from on-site inspections, value assessments for construction or improvements, comparable sales, and calculations of depreciation. The Assessor's Office maintains current data on every parcel in the district, which includes ownership information, maps of property lines, inventories of parcels and structures, and the value of all the property in the jurisdiction. Many offices also provide online property search databases.
Auditors are responsible for maintaining accurate financial records on properties, including the appraisal and assessment of a property's value, which is used to determine property taxes. Auditors collect data from on-site inspections, information submitted by owners, prior sales, and statistical analyses. The Auditor's Office maintains current data on property value, owner information, inventories of parcels and structures, and parcel maps. Many offices also provide online property search databases.
Clerks file important documents and preserve municipal records in order to maintain an archive for their municipality that can be accessed by the public. The Clerk's Office is a valuable source of information on property. The Clerk's Office contains documentation on real estate excise taxes, registered land, and property transactions, as well as land documents including deeds, mortgages, and liens on properties. Many offices provide online databases to access this information.
Recorders of Deeds maintain public records, particularly documents related to property, and make them available for public access. The Office of Recorder of Deeds is a valuable source of information on property. The Recorder of Deeds maintains documents on land transactions within its jurisdictions, including deeds, mortgages, surveys, and easements, as well as tax liens. Many offices provide online databases to access this information.
The Town Hall or City Hall is the chief administrative office that runs the town or city. The Town Hall or City Hall often maintains records related to the locality, such as property taxes, property value assessments, and land transactions, as well as property sales and transfers.
The Treasurer and Tax Collector is responsible for the collection of property tax revenue. The Office of the Treasurer and Tax Collector maintains current property tax information, lists of sold parcels, and is also charged with the sale of properties due to a default on taxes. In some jurisdictions, property auctions run by the Treasurer and Tax Collector are online and open to the public.