# mortgage search



## underemployedactor (Oct 22, 2011)

Happy New Year everyone. 
Question: is there a quick and cheap way of finding out if a mortgage has been taken out on a house recently? the home (condo actually) is in BC.
thanks in advance.


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## carverman (Nov 8, 2010)

I'm not aware of any "quick and cheap way" other than going down to the land registry office in the municipality where the condo is registered in the land registry office under the land titles act.

You need to have the title description of the property (from a copy of the deed) to search,and paying a small fee for the search at the land registry office. 

If a mortgage is currently registered against the property, there will be a mortgage charge entry. If there are no current mortgage instruments (mortgage charge), then it will show the current owners and any mortgage discharge, if the property is clear of any mortgages or liens..(if that is applicable).

This of course, if a mortgage has been registered legally against the property. Loans borrowed against the property that have not been registered there will not show up.

There are title search companies available that will do that for you, for a fee of course.

Others, with more legal background on this forum might be able to suggest other ways.


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## underemployedactor (Oct 22, 2011)

thanks C-man. Can any of this be done online? I assume a Heloc would also turn up in this kind of search?


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## carverman (Nov 8, 2010)

underemployedactor said:


> thanks C-man. Can any of this be done online? I assume a Heloc would also turn up in this kind of search?


I would think so. You may need to be a registered user to do the search though.

Here is a website that has a lot more information on the procedures for a search.
http://help.ltsa.ca/cms/search-services-users-guide


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## Just a Guy (Mar 27, 2012)

If you know a realtor, they can pull title for you. As they do it "in bulk" it only costs them a fraction of what it would cost you. They may even do it for you for free.


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## Rusty O'Toole (Feb 1, 2012)

I don't know about BC but in Ontario anyone can walk into a Registry Office and look up any property for $8. The clerk will help you. It is quick and easy.


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## Sherlock (Apr 18, 2010)

We shouldn't have to walk anywhere, this should all be available online, and then the country could save money by hiring less clerks. Get with the times Canada!


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## carverman (Nov 8, 2010)

Well this is the gummint..they are not always on top of the latest technology.
In any case, getting the necessary information from the land registry office is not for free. You have to pay a *small fee to get at that information*, whether you show up with the land title information (which you DO need) in person... or have some one do it on line...for a fee.

For many years, the land titles were kept on special microfiche in the Land Registry office for each county,
(at least that's the way it is in Ontario). There was no computer access then. In order to have that
information available online, the microfiche has to be converted into a online accessible and protected
database. Guess who does that? The clerks in the land registry office, because they are the only
ones authorized to change any information in there.


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## underemployedactor (Oct 22, 2011)

Thanks all, tried a realtor friend but all they could get was who was on title, not any encumbrances. Will try to open a LTSA account and do it that way, but no info on fees that I could find.


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## marina628 (Dec 14, 2010)

I am curious why you want to know this?Nosy neighbor ,legal interest or maybe you are wanting to purchase it ?


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## Rusty O'Toole (Feb 1, 2012)

Sherlock said:


> We shouldn't have to walk anywhere, this should all be available online, and then the country could save money by hiring less clerks. Get with the times Canada!


We are talking about public records here. If there is ever a dispute about land ownership, mortgage rights etc they must be able to produce the original documents for the courts to examine. They must also be careful the records are properly kept, accurate and complete.

In many places they have set up a computerized database as an auxiliary to the real, read legal, record system. It is possible to get access over the internet but it costs a lot of money to subscribe to the system. Some day it may be open to the public but in any case, you can visit your local office and get the info in person.

At least this is the case in Ontario, they may be more "advanced" in other places. But it is a bit more complicated than setting up a Facebook account.


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## underemployedactor (Oct 22, 2011)

marina628 said:


> I am curious why you want to know this?Nosy neighbor ,legal interest or maybe you are wanting to purchase it ?


It's a long story. Suffice to say, none of the above.


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