Clare County, MI Property Records: Search Deeds, Owners, Tax Records, and Maps

In Clare County, the Register of Deeds, the Equalization Department, and local municipal assessors and treasurers maintain property records that cover over 36,000 parcels of land. The county is located in the central Lower Peninsula of Michigan, where the intersection of US-127 and US-10 makes it highly accessible for logistics, commercial businesses, and travelers. This high accessibility drives the local property market.

The housing market includes single-family homes, mobile homes, and multifamily buildings, with most homes located in Harrison, Hayes, Greenwood, Clare, and Lake George. For a property to go pending, it takes about 42 to 54 days, which is slower than Michigan’s average.

Recent records reveal the underlying factors influencing the local real estate market, with a median home value of $125,400 and median rent of $810, alongside a median household income of $49,722 and a median real estate tax rate of 1.19 as a percentage of the property's assessed value.

How to Look Up Clare County Property Records

You can access property records in Clare County through the appropriate local offices or online databases. Below are the relevant offices and their search portals:

Who Keeps Clare County Property Records?

Property records in Clare County are considered public under the Michigan Freedom of Information Act, allowing individuals to access them. The following offices keep and handle county property records:

• The Clare County Register of Deeds Office is the record custodian of all property documents in the county. It maintains records such as deeds, mortgages, liens, and plats.

• The local city and township assessors oversee appraisal and records maintenance activities. Local assessors also review county equalization studies to ensure equitable treatment for township property owners.

• The Clare County Equalization Department corrects inequities that may occur between local units of government as a result of under- or over-assessment of a property class.

• Each city and township handles and keeps records of current property tax billing, collections, and non-delinquent payment history through its local treasurer’s office. Delinquent tax records and foreclosure details are under the custody of the Clare County Treasurer.

How to Search Clare County Property Records Online

Follow these steps to pull up Clare County property records online:

1. Identify the parcel by looking it up through the county GIS mapping viewer. You may search with the owner's name or address.

2. When you locate the parcel, navigate to the Clare County BS&A Online portal and enter the parcel ID to pull up the property card. This shows the build year, square footage, and historical assessed values.

3. Visit the Register of Deeds Search Portal to search by party name or legal description to view recorded land contracts and deeds.

4. Check for outstanding balances, annual tax liabilities, or delinquent tax forfeitures through the BS&A Online Tax Search Portal. This shows whether summer and winter property taxes have been paid to the local township treasurer.

5. You may search and download uncertified copies of deeds through the Register of Deeds Search portal, or visit the office in Harrison to request official certified copies. Fees apply to obtain a certified copy of the recorded documents.

Register of Deeds: Deeds, Mortgages, and Plats

The Clare County Register of Deeds records, indexes, and preserves all documents related to real estate ownership within the county.

Assessors and Equalization: Ownership, Values, and Parcel Data

The Clare County Assessors and Equalization Department establishes property valuations and ensures fair property taxation across the county. While local assessors work at the township or city level, the county-level Equalization Department oversees the entire system to guarantee uniformity.

Treasurer’s Office: Taxes, Bills, and Payments

Local treasurers and the county treasurer collect, manage, and distribute property tax revenues in Clare County. They operate on a sequential timeline, where local treasurers handle current-year tax collections before turning unpaid accounts over to the county level for enforcement.

Property Tax in Clare County: Values, Exemptions, and Appeals

In Clare County, the ad valorem tax liability for real property is calculated by applying the aggregate local millage rate to the property’s established Taxable Value and dividing by $1,000.

Proposal A and Uncapping

Proposal A states that the property value used to calculate taxes cannot increase annually by more than the rate of inflation or 5%, until the ownership of the property changes. When a house is sold, the property’s Taxable Value uncaps for the following calendar year, resetting to equal the State Equalized Value. The new owner then pays taxes based on this full value, with the same protective cap applied to all future assessment increases.

To ensure a transfer between spouses or eligible family members is properly exempted from this tax uncapping, file a property transfer affidavit with the local assessor.

Exemptions and Relief

Appealing Your Value

To appeal your value, first gather the facts about your assessed value and contact the local assessor to see if the issue can be resolved. If it remains unresolved, you must appeal to the Board of Review, either by letter or in person. This mandatory step preserves your rights for any further action at the Michigan Tax Tribunal.

GIS Maps and Parcel Viewer

In Clare County, property researchers may use the GIS and online parcel viewers to access digital plat maps, property lines, zoning boundaries, and soil maps. Researchers can search by owner name, address, or parcel ID.

Foreclosure and Tax Sales

Property foreclosure in Clare County generally happens in one of two ways:

Property-Tax Foreclosure

In Clare County, unpaid property taxes can lead to foreclosure after three years. The county Treasurer offers hardship extensions for qualifying property owners who are working to catch up on delinquent taxes. If the taxes remain unpaid, the property may be foreclosed and later sold at public auction.

Mortgage Foreclosure

Missing mortgage payments can put a property at risk of foreclosure. Most mortgage foreclosures end with a sheriff's sale, and sale information is available through the Clare County Sheriff's Office. Homeowners usually have six months after the sale to redeem the property.

Costs to Access Property Records

Per MCL 600.2567, the fees for accessing property records in Clare County are listed below:

How to Record a Document

You can typically take these steps to record a document in Clare County:

1. Ensure the deed, mortgage, or land contract meets all Michigan statutory requirements. It must include a full legal description, the names of all parties involved, and a valid notary public seal and signature.

2. Recording any document costs $30 per document. You must also calculate and add county and state real estate transfer tax, which is $8.60 per $1,000.

3. Send the complete document to the Clare County Register of Deeds Office for processing. You can submit in person, by mail, or digitally using approved e-recording networks like Simplifile or CSC.

4. Once the office verifies the document, it applies an official liber and page number stamp to index it in the county records. The original document will be mailed back to you. You can also download an uncertified copy through the Register of Deeds online search portal.

FAQs

Quick Reference: Your Clare County Property Records Checklist

Key Contacts and Official Portals