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

The Presque Isle County property market is driven by demand for recreational and waterfront properties. With about 23,000 parcels of land spread over approximately 2,573 square miles, of which 74% is water, the county’s proximity to Lake Huron and other inland lakes continues to attract buyers looking for second homes. Single-family detached homes account for about 90% of homes in Presque Isle County. This housing stock is prevalent in waterfront municipalities like Presque Isle Township, Ocqueoc, and Bearinger Township.

Home listings in Presque Isle County typically close between 40 and 50 days, the same pace as the statewide average. Various offices maintain property records in the county, including the Register of Deeds, the Equalization Department, the County Treasurer, municipality assessors, and local treasurers.

Recent records reveal the underlying factors influencing the local real estate market, with a median home value of $120,500 and median rent of $630.5, alongside a median household income of $53,864.5 and a median real estate tax rate of 1.05 as a percentage of the property's assessed value.

How to Look Up Presque Isle County Property Records

Several local offices manage Presque Isle County property records. You can use the Equalization Department’s Property Search portal to search assessment records or call the department at (989) 734-3810 for inquiries.

The Register of Deeds maintains official property-related documents, including deeds, liens, mortgages, and discharges. You can search their Land Records Search and Public Search platforms for property records. Local treasurers collect current taxes, while the county treasurer handles delinquent tax collections and property foreclosure.

Who Keeps Presque Isle County Property Records?

The Michigan Freedom of Information Act gives the public the right to view and obtain Presque Isle property records. Several offices, including the following, maintain these records:

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

• Property assessments are done at the city and township level in Michigan and not at the county level. Local assessors value properties and set the taxable value for every parcel within their jurisdictions.

• The Presque Isle County Equalization Department ensures that property taxes are accurate and fair across the county. The office equalizes the values from municipalities and works with local assessors to address inequities in assessments. It also maintains the countywide property search platform and parcel map.

• City and township treasurers collect property taxes for their respective municipalities. They typically bill and collect taxes in two installments: summer tax bills are sent in July, and winter tax bills are sent in December.

Property taxes that are not paid by March 1 become delinquent and are passed as debt to the Presque Isle County Treasurer. The County Treasurer oversees property tax forfeiture and foreclosure in the county.

How to Search Presque Isle County Property Records Online

A comprehensive search of Presque Isle County property records often involves going through multiple county platforms.

1. Start the search on the Presque Isle County Property Search portal to locate the property. You can search by owner’s name, address, legal information, or parcel number.

   1. The search results include the owner’s name, parcel number, legal description, State Equalization Value (SEV), taxable value, school district, tax district, and 5-year valuation history.

2. Look up the property’s deeds on the Presque Isle County Land Records Search or Public Search portals. Confirm the recorded owners of the property and trace the chain of title. Check for mortgages and liens against the property and identify any encumbrances.
3. Use the Property Tax platform to confirm the property’s current tax and confirm if the property has any delinquent taxes.
4. Order certified copies of the property records from the Register of Deeds, if necessary.

Register of Deeds: Deeds, Mortgages, and Liens

In Presque Isle County, the Register of Deeds is responsible for recording property documents and maintaining the county’s official chain of titles. Documents recorded and maintained by the Register of Deeds include:

• Ownership transfers: Quitclaim deeds, warranty deeds, and land contracts

• Public notices: Lis pendens, affidavits, powers of attorney, notices of commencements, subdivision plats, and surveys

• Encumbrances: Mortgages, assignments, construction liens, federal liens, state liens, and discharges

Assessors and Equalization: Ownership, Values, and Parcel Data

Property assessment in Presque Isle County is done at the local level by city and township assessors. Local assessors value properties within their boundaries and prepare the local assessment roll. The Presque Isle County Equalization Department oversees the assessment and ensures that properties across the county are assessed equitably. The department provides access to the county’s property record through the Property Search portal.

The Equalization Department provides access to the following:

• Apportionment reports

• Local assessors contact details

• Millage rates

Treasurer’s Office: Taxes, Bills, and Payments

Local city and township treasurers collect property taxes within their jurisdictions based on the tax roll received from assessors. Summer tax notices are sent in July and collected till September, while winter tax bills go out in December and are collected till February.

The Presque Isle County Treasurer collects delinquent taxes starting from March 1. It also handles property tax forfeiture and foreclosure.

Property Tax in Presque Isle County: Values, Exemptions, and Appeals

In Presque Isle County, property tax valuation is determined by multiplying the taxable value by the total millage rate from all taxing authorities and dividing by 1,000. Note that one mil equals $1 for every $1,000 of taxable value. A property’s assessed value (also called the state equalized value) is half its market value. The state equalized value is subsequently capped for annual increments until it is resold.

Proposal A and Uncapping

Proposal A caps annual property tax increases to the lower of the inflation rate or a 5% increase in value. This ensures that a property’s tax cannot increase above 5% of the previous year’s tax until the property is sold, per MCL 211.27a.

When a property is sold or transferred, the tax cap is removed (uncapped), and the property’s taxable value is reset to the state equalized value, resulting in a significant increase in the property’s taxable value. However, transfers between spouses or family members typically do not uncap.

Exemptions and Relief

Appealing Your Value

File an appeal with your local city or township Board of Review during its March session with supporting evidence. The board will review the evidence and make a decision. If you are not satisfied with the board’s decision, you can escalate the appeal to the Michigan Tax Tribunal for further review. The Michigan Tax Tribunal only accepts appeals that have been reviewed by the local Board of Review.

GIS Maps and Parcel Viewer

Presque Isle County provides the Parcel Map for graphical access to parcels in the county. You can directly navigate to parcels on the platform. The Parcel Map shows the owner's details, parcel size, parcel number, and assessed value.

Foreclosure and Tax Sales

There are two types of foreclosure in Michigan with different timelines.

Property-Tax Foreclosure

Delinquent taxes are turned over to the county treasurer for collection or foreclosure of the property. They immediately start to incur a 4% administrative charge and monthly interest. According to MCL 211.78, a three-year clock starts from the day it becomes delinquent.

The property becomes forfeited by March 1 of the second year, and if not redeemed, it may be foreclosed by the end of March of the third year. The county may then sell the foreclosed property in a public auction.

Mortgage Foreclosure

A lender may foreclose a property if the mortgage payment is not made for a period exceeding 120 days. The lender must file a default and publish a weekly notice of sale for four consecutive weeks in a local newspaper.

Afterward, the property can be sold at a public auction to the highest bidder by the county sheriff. The owner may still redeem the property within a specified redemption period after the sale, per MCL 600.3240.

Costs to Access Property Records

The Michigan Freedom of Information Act permits the Presque Isle County Register of Deeds to collect certain fees for accessing records. Similarly, MCL 600.2567 determines fees that may be charged for recording documents in the county.

How to Record a Document

The Michigan Recording Act governs document recording in Presque Isle County. Here are the steps required to record a property instrument in the county:

1. Ensure the document meets the state’s recording standard. Confirm the legal description is accurate, the required margins and font sizes are followed, the signatures are original, and there is notary acknowledgment.

2. Calculate the required fees. The recording fee is a flat fee of $30.00 for all instruments. Where applicable, there is a transfer tax of $8.60 per $1,000 of consideration for sales, which must be paid by the seller.

3. Submit the instrument by mail or in person at: 151 East Huron Avenue, P.O. Box 110, Rogers City, MI 49779. It can also be filed through verified e-recording submitters, including CSC, ePN, Simplifile, and Indecomm Global Services. If it involves a change of ownership, file a Property Transfer Affidavit (Form 2766/L-4260) with the local assessor within 45 days of the transfer.

4. The Register of Deeds will record the instrument and update the county’s property records. Retrieve the original instrument from the Register of Deeds office.

FAQs

Quick Reference: Your Presque Isle County Property Records Checklist

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