I received an email this morning from someone planning to rent here in the Reno area asking how they could find out if the property in which they are interested in renting is in foreclosure or has a NOD (Notice of Default) filed against it. This is not the first time I have been asked this question, so I thought I’d point our readers to the resource that Washoe County has set up specifically for renters.
Washoe County’s website has set up a page called Information for Renters about Foreclosure. Clicking on this link will take you instructions [scroll down] on using EagleWeb, the Washoe County Recorder’s Office documents database. Among other things, EagleWeb allows users to find out if a home has a recorded Notice of Default or Notice of Sale.
Check it out. It’s free and easy to use.
longerwalk
Very helpful, Guy. I know of a handful of people moving into town that will find this useful.
SkrapGuy
It is somewhat amusing to me that today it is the renters who want to check out the status of their landlords before signing the lease. Remember when it used to be the other way around?
I find it a bit ironic that the renter who has to come up with the first/last/cleaning deposit now has to verify the financial stability of the landlord, who may well have bought the house with a nothing down, I/O, none-of-my-skin-in-the-game bubble money loan.
Many renters today have demonstrated far more financial sense and integrity than the debtowners they are renting from.
And no, I am not a renter.
billddrummer
Excellent point. I use EagleWeb nearly every day in my bank job, and it’s an invaluable resource.
I’m just glad the County doesn’t charge a fee for the service. Many counties across the country charge just to look at filings, and charge an additional fee to print them off.
California is even worse. There’s a state law in CA that prohibits publishing recorded information on the internet unless the owner of record specifically agrees to have the information published in that manner. Otherwise, you have to do your research the old fashioned way: Spend an afternoon at the County Recorders Office, looking at microfiche.
That’s one reason title companies in CA are the custodians of recorded information, rather than allowing ‘normal’ people access to the data.