Worksheet : 4. How to Check Liens Against Property

 

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4. How to Check Liens Against Property

🏢 Surplus Funds Recovery Training

Training Provider: Lynne's VA Training Services

Worksheet Created by Dennis Bayeng (Co-created with Claude AI)

📖 Understanding Liens: Why This Matters

When researching surplus funds, checking for liens (debts against property) is a critical step. This process helps you determine if there are any other parties who may have a claim to the surplus funds before the property owner can receive them.

💡 Key Insight: Liens are legal claims against a property for unpaid debts. When a property is sold at auction, the surplus funds may be subject to these claims. Your job is to verify whether any liens exist that could affect the surplus fund recovery.

🎯 What You'll Learn

In this lesson, we examined a real case study:

• Property Owner: Paris Caldwell
• Location: 263 Acron, Summit County, Ohio
• Surplus Amount: $45,000+
• Finding: One lien from Canal Park Condominium Owners (resolved through the sale)

🔍 The Liens Research Workflow

1️⃣ Identify County of Property

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2️⃣ Search for "County Name + Deed Search"

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3️⃣ Access Official Records Search

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4️⃣ Search by Property Owner Name

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5️⃣ Review All Documents & Download Evidence

✍️ Initial Reflection

What do you think could happen if you skip the liens research step?

Step-by-Step: Checking for Liens

🛠️ Practical Step-by-Step Process

1

Identify the County
Determine which county the property is located in. County names can be duplicated across states!

🌟 Example: "Summit County" exists in Ohio, Utah, and Colorado. Always verify the state!

2

Search for County Deed Records
Google: [County Name] [State] deed search

💡 Pro Tip: You're looking for two main resources: Assessor and Deed Search

3

Access the Official Records Portal
Look for "Official Records Search" or "Property Records Search" on the county website.

⚠️ Troubleshooting: If the site won't load, try turning off your VPN or using a different browser.

4

Search by Name
Enter the property owner's name. Try both formats:

• Last Name, First Name (e.g., "Caldwell, Paris")
• First Name Last Name (e.g., "Paris Caldwell")

5

Review All Documents
Look for these document types:

• Deed Records: Shows property transfers
• Liens/Judgments: Shows debts against the property
• Sheriff's Deed: Indicates foreclosure sale completion

6

Download & Save Evidence
Save copies of all relevant documents. You'll need to attach these to your claim.

✍️ Practice Notes

Write down the county and property details for a case you're currently working on:

Case Study Analysis & Your Action Plan

📚 Paris Caldwell Case Study Breakdown

🏠 Property Timeline:

• October 21, 2021: Paris Caldwell purchased the property from Tammy Jones
• 2022-2025: Caldwell incurred debt to Canal Park Condominium Owners
• Foreclosure: Canal Park Condo filed a case to recover the debt
• Result: Property sold at auction, transferred to YNFK LLC via Sheriff's Deed
• Surplus: $45,000+ available, with NO other liens to satisfy

🎯 Critical Finding: The only lien was from the Canal Park Condominium, which was resolved through the foreclosure sale. This means the $45,000 surplus is available for Caldwell to claim with no competing liens!

✅ Your Action Checklist

Use this checklist for every case you research:

Verified the correct county and state for the property

Located and accessed the county's official deed search portal

Searched for the property owner by name in multiple formats

Confirmed the property address matches the surplus fund case

Reviewed all recorded documents (deeds, liens, judgments)

Downloaded and saved copies of relevant documents

Determined whether there are any outstanding liens

Documented findings in my case notes

✍️ Deep Reflection

What challenges did you encounter while learning this process? How will you overcome them?

⚡ Key Takeaways to Remember

✦ Two main searches: Assessor and Deed Search

✦ All documents are recorded: Property sales, liens, debts—everything is in the deed records

✦ Verify the address: Always confirm the property address matches your case

✦ Look for Sheriff's Deed: This confirms the foreclosure sale was completed

✦ Check for competing claims: Identify any liens that weren't satisfied by the sale

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"I am developing the skills to conduct thorough research and help property owners recover funds they deserve. Each case I investigate strengthens my expertise."

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Lynne's VA Training Services | Surplus Funds Recovery Program

Worksheet #4: How to Check Liens Against Property

Created by Dennis Bayeng (Co-created with Claude AI) | © 2025