How to Find Owners of Properties
in Minnesota

A property owner search in Minnesota starts with a search through public records. The research process would require a visit to the relevant public agency holding these records to make an official request or search via an online database if that is available. There are also third-party platforms that can help get these records on demand.

Here's how to use all these options to conduct a Minnesota house owner lookup.

Visit Your County Assessor's Office

Assessors are local government officials who check the value of properties in Minnesota. County assessors also verify property information for tax purposes to ensure that property owners pay the proper taxes that match their property's value.

They then keep these records in their offices across the state for interested members of the public to view on demand. Here are links to county assessors' offices in some major counties in Minnesota:

• Ramsey County
• St Louis County
• Todd County
• Rice County
• Wright County
• Clay County

Browse County Property Search Portals

If you want to find the owner of a property free, some counties have online portals where you can do a property owner search in Minnesota. These portals only require you to create an account and enter relevant information, such as the property's parcel ID or property description. You can even find a property owner by address on some of these portals.

Here are some counties with property search portals in Minnesota:

• Anoka County
• City of Minneapolis
• Dakota County
• Scott County
• Olmsted County

Check Out the County Records Office

If you're looking to search for property owners in Minnesota, you can reach out to the county records office or the register of deeds. Each city or county has a designated office for this. Check out the records offices of these major counties via these links:

• Todd County
• Yellow Medicine County
• Washington County
• Cook County
• Crow Wing County

Outsource to a Title Search Agency

Apart from public offices, you can tap a title search agency to undertake a property owner search in Minnesota. A title search agency helps verify the authenticity of the seller's title. It can also check if the property is tied to a pending court case, loan, or other liens. However, unlike government agencies, title agencies are not free and charge a fee for their services.

There are many ways to own property in Minnesota. There is sole ownership, where one person has total rights over their property. There are also joint ownership systems for multiple owners, like joint tenancy and tenancy in common.

Understanding these different types of property ownership can help you make better decisions before buying any property in Minnesota.

Below are the most common categories of property ownership in Minnesota:

Summary Table of Minnesota's Property Ownership Types

In Minnesota, other entities apart from individuals can own properties. These include trusts, corporations, and limited liability companies. Doing a property owner search for these properties is tricky because the identities of the persons behind these companies are often hard to find.

Finding these persons may involve carefully reviewing public records, business databases, directories, and other research tools. Alternatively, professionals like real estate attorneys and title companies can do this search for a fee.

Below are some easy ways to find the owner of a trust, LLC, or corporation in Minnesota:

Finding the Owner of a Trust in Minnesota

The best way to trace the owner of a trust property in Minnesota is to conduct a property records search. The title documents may show the trustee's name at the relevant office, like the local recorder, making the search straightforward.

However, this is not always the case because trusts are private by nature, and sometimes, you may run into a dead end. In this case, hiring a real estate attorney to take up the search is advisable. Professionals are better equipped to conduct tricky searches like this.

Finding the Owner of an LLC in Minnesota

Finding the owner of an LLC in Minnesota is easy. The state has a business filing portal where interested persons can conduct a business name search.

Here's how to do a simple search:

• Visit the business filing portal.
• Input the business name or file number in the provided column.
• Click search.

A successful search will then reveal the business's current filing status and former names (if any).

Finding the Owner of a Corporation in Minnesota

Finding the owner of a corporation in Minnesota follows the same procedure as finding the owner of an LLC. Simply visit the business filing portal and follow the same steps above.

However, if the corporation is a bank or Insurance corporation, the best place to direct the search is the Department of Commerce, which has a License Lookup Directory with information on all license holders in the state.

Property transfer in Minnesota is usually through a deed. This is an official document with the parties' names and other information on the property.

The most common types of property deeds in Minnesota are quitclaim, general warranty, and limited warranty.

When buying a property in Minnesota, the buck does not stop at paying the seller. It is also essential to understand every step involved in the process to protect yourself. If not for anything, ensure that the right thing is done and there will be no future problems.

Below is a step-by-step guide to what should happen when you're buying a property:

• Establish the Type of Transfer: First, determine what type of transfer is about to happen - a gift, inheritance, or sale. Knowing this will help determine what rules will apply to you, what taxes you are to pay, or if you are to even pay taxes.

• Conduct a Title Search: Title search is one of the most important steps in a property transaction. As discussed earlier in this guide, a title search confirms whether the seller's title is valid and whether there are any issues with the property.

  You can conduct this search using the earlier steps or get a title search company or real estate attorney to help. Title searches typically cost around $100 to $200 in Minnesota but can vary, depending on many factors.

• Draft a Deed: A deed is often the primary proof of the property transaction. It is advisable to get an attorney to draft one stating the terms of the agreement. Attorneys charge differently for this service, and there is no fixed rate, but it typically costs around $500 or more to get a property deed in Minnesota.
• Pay Transfer Taxes (Deed Tax): In Minnesota, a deed tax applies after the sale of a property. The seller is often responsible for paying this tax, although parties can agree to have the buyer pay it instead. The transfer tax/deed tax is typically 0.33% of the sales price, but it does not apply in special cases, like divorce settlements or where the government is one of the parties to the transaction.
• Record the Deed: After the sale, the next thing to do is record the property deed at the relevant government office, usually the local recorder's office. Recording the deed makes it part of public records so that it appears in any property title search.
• Update Relevant Records: After recording the deed, update the new owner's information at the local assessor's offices and other relevant offices. Doing this guarantees the new owner will receive all mail and bills for that property.
• Get Title Insurance: Although not a compulsory step, it is always advisable to get title insurance. It protects the new owner from any surprises that may spring up from the title, like unknown liens and debts that did come up during the title search. Title insurance in Minnesota typically costs around 0.5 to 1% of the sales price.