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

Several offices, including the Register of Deeds, the county Treasurer, the Equalization Department, and municipal offices, maintain property records in Livingston County. These records date back to the county's formation in 1833 and are accessible to the public. The county has about 89,000 parcels of land across 565 square miles.

Livingston County’s local property market is driven by its easy highway access to major job hubs, top-rated local schools, and lake access. The single-family detached home is the most popular housing stock in the county, making up over 75% of the county’s housing landscape. A variety of housing stock dominates Brighton, Howell, Fowlerville, and Hartland. It typically takes about a month to sell homes in the county, which is slightly faster than the state average.

Recent records reveal the underlying factors influencing the local real estate market, with a median home value of $295,700 and median rent of $1,227, alongside a median household income of $91,105 and a median real estate tax rate of 1.02 as a percentage of the property's assessed value.

How to Look Up Livingston County Property Records

The Register of Deeds office records and maintains property-related documents, such as deeds, liens, plats, mortgages, and discharges. You can access these records through the Deeds Search platform. You can also visit their office at 200 East Grand River Avenue, Suite 3, Howell, MI 48843, or call them at (517) 546-0270.

The Equalization Department maintains property valuation records from across the county and makes them available through the Property Search portal. Property information on the portal includes the owner’s name, legal description, taxable value, assessed value, and exemptions. The County Treasurer maintains records of delinquent taxes. You can visit both offices to access their records.

Who Keeps Livingston County Property Records

The Michigan Freedom of Information Act gives members of the public the right to inspect and obtain property records from the county. Property records in Livingston County are run through the following offices:

• The Livingston County Register of Deeds records, maintains, and indexes property-related documents, such as deeds, releases, mortgages, liens, and plats, in line with the provisions of the Michigan Recording Act.

• Local assessors value properties within their municipalities. They prepare the tax roll and send it to the municipal treasurer for collection.

• The Livingston County Equalization Department ensures that property taxes are fair and accurate across the county. The office addresses assessment inequities and maintains the countywide property search platform.

• Local treasurers collect property taxes within their boundaries. Taxes not paid by March 1 of the following year are considered delinquent and passed as debt to the Livingston County Treasurer. The county Treasurer is responsible for property tax forfeiture and foreclosure in the county.

How to Search Livingston County Property Records Online

You can access Livingston County property records online by following these steps:

1. Search for the property through the Livingston County Property Search portal. You can search by owner’s name, address, or parcel number. You can find property details such as the owner’s name, parcel number, legal description, taxable value, school district, and Principal Residence Exemption (PRE).

2. Look up the property’s deeds on the Livingston County Deeds Search portal. Compare information from both portals to ensure accuracy and trace the chain of title.

3. Confirm if there are any encumbrances on the property through the Deeds Search platform. Check for mortgages and liens against the property.

4. Verify if the property has delinquent taxes from the county Treasurer.

5. You may order certified copies of the property records for a thorough search.

Register of Deeds: Deeds, Mortgages, and Liens

The Register of Deeds records property documents, indexes them, and maintains the county’s official chain of title. Property documents recorded by the Register of Deeds include quitclaim deeds, warranty deeds, land contracts, lis pendens, affidavits, assignments, construction liens, and discharges.

Assessors and Equalization: Ownership, Values, and Parcel Data

Property assessment in Michigan, including Livingston County, is done at the municipal level. Local assessors value properties within their jurisdictions and prepare the local assessment roll. The Livingston County Equalization Department equalizes assessed values across the county. The department provides access to the county’s property information and parcel maps.

Treasurer’s Office: Taxes, Bills, and Payments

City and township treasurers collect property taxes for their municipalities in two installments. Generally, summer tax bills are issued in July, while winter tax bills go out in December. The Livingston County Treasurer collects delinquent taxes starting from March 1 of the following year. The treasurer is also responsible for property tax forfeiture and foreclosure.

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

In Livingston County, a property's market value is halved to obtain its assessed value. The Taxable Value, which is the Assessed Value after all applicable exemptions have been removed, is then multiplied by the total millage rate from all taxing authorities to obtain the property's tax value. One mil equals $1 for every $1,000 of Taxable Value. Michigan law caps the annual increment on a property's Taxable Value to prevent exorbitant increases.

Proposal A and Uncapping

Proposal A caps increases on a property's annual tax value to the lower end of the inflation rate or a 5% increase in the value. The cap is removed when the property is sold or transferred, and the taxable value resets to the state equalized value. This typically results in a significantly higher taxable value the year after the sale. However, MCL 211.27a exempts transfers between spouses and family members from uncapping.

Exemptions and Relief

Appealing Your Value

Property owners in Livingston County who believe their valuation is incorrect may appeal to their local Board of Review during its March session. They must provide supporting evidence showing why the valuation is wrong. The board will review the appeal and either adjust the value or deny it. They may further appeal the board's decision to the Michigan Tax Tribunal by July 31.

GIS Maps and Parcel Viewer

Livingston County’s parcel GIS system is available through the GIS Parcel Viewer. The platform allows users to search by parcel identification number, owner name, subdivision, condominium name, or address. You can also directly navigate to your desired parcel in the parcel viewer.

Foreclosure and Tax Sales

Michigan has two types of foreclosure with different timelines.

Property-Tax Foreclosure

Property taxes that remain unpaid as of March 1 are turned over to the county Treasurer. The properties immediately begin incurring administrative charges and monthly interest until they are redeemed or sold. By March 1 of the second year, an unredeemed property becomes forfeited, according to MCL 211.78. It is then foreclosed by March 31 of the third year and may be sold at a public auction.

Mortgage Foreclosure

A property's mortgage payments typically become delinquent when the owner fails to make payments for more than 120 days. MCL 600.3240 requires the lender to file a default and publish a weekly notice of auction for four consecutive weeks in a local newspaper.

The Livingston County Sheriff can then sell the property to the highest bidder at an auction after the public notice. There is a 6-month or 12-month redemption period where the owner may buy back the property. The redemption period depends on the proportion of the loan still owed.

Costs to Access Property Records

While online property record search is free, obtaining detailed information about properties in the county attracts certain fees. Similarly, MCL 600.2567 specifies fees that the Register of Deeds may charge for recording documents in the county.

How to Record a Document

The Michigan Recording Act determines the procedure for recording documents in Livingston County. Generally, the following steps are required to record a document in the county:

1. Prepare the document in accordance with state standards. Use the prescribed font size and margins. Signatures must be original and acknowledged by a notary public.

2. The law provides a flat recording fee of $30.00 for all instruments. Transfer tax costs $8.60 per $1,000 of the sale amount and must be paid by the seller.

3. Submit the documents to the Register of Deeds’ office by mail, in person, or through approved e-recording providers. For property transfers, file the Property Transfer Affidavit (Form 2766/L-4260) with the local assessor within 45 days of the transfer.

4. Retrieve the original instrument from the Register of Deeds for safekeeping.

FAQs

Quick Reference: Your Livingston County Property Records Checklist

Key Contacts and Official Portals