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

Houghton County has approximately 30,000 parcels of land, with property records maintained by the Register of Deeds, the Equalization Department, and local municipal assessors and treasurers. The county is situated in northwestern Michigan, and its real estate market is driven by higher education and technology, outdoor recreation and tourism, and forest products.

Typical home types in Houghton County include duplexes, waterfront cottages, and ranch-style homes, with most of which are found in Houghton, Hancock, and Calumet. Listed properties typically take an average of 43 days, indicating a slower pace compared to the Michigan average of 38 days.

Recent records reveal the underlying factors influencing the local real estate market, with a median home value of $126,100 and median rent of $775.5, alongside a median household income of $52,500 and a median real estate tax rate of 1.2 as a percentage of the property's assessed value.

How to Look Up Houghton County Property Records

You can access property records in Houghton County through different local and county offices.

Who Keeps Houghton County Property Records?

The Michigan Freedom of Information Act permits individuals to inspect, view, and copy recorded documents, including property records. Here are local and county offices responsible for keeping and maintaining property records within the county:

• The Houghton County Register of Deeds indexes and maintains all recorded documents on property located within the county. Examples include deeds, mortgages, land corners, surveys, and plats.

• The Houghton County Equalization Department sets the county property tax base and ensures property taxes are levied fairly on property owners.

• Local city and township assessors prepare assessment rolls and annually assess the value of all property in their local municipalities.

• Local township and city treasurers are the collectors of all property taxes in the county, while the county treasurer is responsible for the collection of delinquent real estate property taxes.

How to Search Houghton County Property Records Online

To search Houghton County property records online, do the following:

1. Locate the parcel by searching the BS&A Online portal or the GIS map viewer by owner name, street address, or parcel number.

2. From the search result, you can review the property's structural characteristics, land boundaries, and historical valuation history.

3. Retrieve digital copies of land contracts, deeds, or mortgages by searching the owner's name through the county's Register of Deeds Land Records Search.

4. On the BS&A Online portal, you can view real-time summer and winter tax bills, payment histories, and any outstanding balances.

5. You may obtain certified copies of property documents from the Register of Deeds Office in Houghton. The office may charge a fee to obtain certified copies.

Register of Deeds: Deeds, Mortgages, and Plats

The Register of Deeds serves as the record custodian for most recorded property documents, ensuring a clear, permanent, and publicly accessible chain of title for all real estate transactions.

Assessors and Equalization: Ownership, Values, and Parcel Data

Local municipal assessors work at the city or township level to discover, list, and place an initial market value on every individual property within their local borders each year. The county Equalization Department then steps in at the county level to review those local numbers, compare them against regional sales data, and standardize valuations across all jurisdictions.

Treasurer’s Office: Taxes, Bills, and Payments

Local township and city treasurers issue and collect summer and winter property tax bills directly from property owners. Then, on March 1st of each year, any unpaid, delinquent property taxes are turned over to the Houghton County Treasurer.

The county treasurer pays the local municipalities what they are owed to keep their local budgets stable and takes over the official collections process. This includes setting up tax payment plans and managing formal tax foreclosures for properties that remain unpaid for multiple years.

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

Under state law, your tax liability is calculated by multiplying your new Taxable Value by the local millage rate, divided by $1,000. Because the value uncaps the year after a sale, your property taxes are generally higher than those paid by the previous owner.

Proposal A and Uncapping

Under Proposal A, a property’s Taxable Value will increase from one year to the next by the rate of inflation, or 5%, until ownership of the property is transferred. Once ownership is transferred, the property’s Taxable Value is uncapped and will increase to the same level as the assessed value the year following the sale.

In most cases, buyers will see a substantial increase in property taxes depending on the gap between the Taxable Value and the assessed value of the property. Michigan law outlines certain transfers between spouses and close family members that can occur without resetting the tax cap.

Exemptions and Relief

Appealing Your Value

To appeal your assessment, you should first review it with the assessor by appointment at the end of February of the tax year. The assessor will explain how the assessed and Taxable Values were developed and review the property record card for accuracy. If you remain unsatisfied, the March Board of Review is the next step. The board will examine and review the assessments and Taxable Values determined by the assessor.

The Board of Review begins hearing taxpayer appeals on the second Monday in March. An appeal to the local Board of Review is mandatory before filing an appeal with the Michigan Tax Tribunal.

GIS Maps and Parcel Viewer

If you want to view GIS data in Houghton County, you may use the Beacon Map Viewer Portal to view property boundaries, land ownership cards, and zoning classifications. You may search this portal using the property owner’s name, address, or parcel number.

Foreclosure and Tax Sales

There are two ways a property can go into foreclosure in Houghton County:

Property-Tax Foreclosure

Unpaid property taxes can lead to foreclosure after the statutory redemption period under Michigan law. The county treasurer oversees the process and later sells foreclosed properties through public auction. Property owners can avoid foreclosure by paying the delinquent taxes before the redemption deadline.

Mortgage Foreclosure

In Houghton County, lenders typically foreclose through Michigan's nonjudicial process after a homeowner misses mortgage payments. The process ends with a sheriff's sale, followed by a redemption period of about six months.

Costs to Access Property Records

In Houghton County, the fees for accessing various property records are governed by MCL 600.2567 and are outlined as follows.

How to Record a Document

Take these steps to record a property document in Houghton County:

1. Draft your real estate instrument and ensure it complies with Michigan formatting standards. All signatures must be notarized.

2. Include a $30 recording fee when you submit a document for recording in Houghton County. You must also include $5 for tax certification and $8.60 for the county and state real estate transfer tax.

3. Submit documents to the Register of Deeds. You can submit documents in person, by mail, or through an approved electronic recording system such as CSC, ePN, Simplifile, and Indecomm.

4. Once indexed, the original document will be stamped with the liber and page numbers and mailed back to you.

FAQs

Quick Reference: Your Houghton County Property Records Checklist

Key Contacts and Official Portals