Property history research gives you a picture of how
the history of your property developed through the years. The history may
purely serve to staunch your curiosity. But you may also learn why some things were built as they
were and—potentially—learn more information to help you fix or update
your Lexington home. This is especially important as Lexington has such historical areas and some homes are quite old.
If you’re embarking on a remodel, for example, you’ll
need to understand the genesis of your home, how it was built and possibly
added on to, and what might lie behind the walls or under the carpeting.
Plus, sometimes it’s just fun to know the provenance of your
abode.
Property History Research Methods
Ask your inspector: If you’re buying an older home,
check with the expert you’re paying to look at all the nooks and
crannies—and about the history of those nooks and crannies. For example,
an inspector might note a beautiful hardwood floor beneath
modern carpeting or know where to look for a historic foundation stone in the
basement.
Talk to your neighbors: Maybe also talk
to the previous owner and others who used to live in the area—and their
relatives. Many will be happy to share memories. Once land records are
accessed, your property history search will yield valuable historical
information about the house and its original owners, including when it was sold
and to whom.
Visit the library: Old newspapers or local history
publications may offer insight into events at your address or give you a sense
of the neighborhood and town at the time the home was built. Try to go during a
slower time of day—not, say, a raining weekend afternoon—and a librarian may
have more time to assist you with this research.
Check the deed: You need to know the legal
description of the property, the official address and the subdivision lot
number. The legal description also includes the section number, portion of the
section, township and range of the property.
Deed transactions are also recorded at local county
courthouses in the Register of Deeds. These records may be on microfilm,
computerized records or other physical publications. Most staff who work with
deeds can help you find what you’re looking for off the address.
When you start your search, begin with the most recent deed
transactions and work backward to earlier records.
Scour Porch.com:
The online clearance center for home projects, design ideas and contractors
also encourages owners and others to note a home’s history. You can check out
past work permits, local stats, and who’s done what work on the house.
Other resources: The patent records of the Bureau of
Land Management’s General Land office will show you when the federal
government first sold the land parcel to a private owner and who that owner
was.
You can find other documents online or in local archives or
libraries. They include census data records, marriage and death records and
insurance maps which show how a property changed over time.
There are commercial sites to help you locate and search
online databases to get this information. Genealogical research databases can
also give you valuable information to help you uncover your property history.
Happy digging!
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