Real Estate API Questions

Where can I find affordable real estate title data?

Quick Answer

Realie aggregates recorded title documents — deeds, mortgages, and liens — directly from county recorder offices across 3,100+ counties, available through the same API and pricing as the rest of the dataset rather than as a separately priced title product.

Summary

Title-related records live with the county recorder: deeds that transfer ownership, mortgages that encumber it, liens filed against it, and the releases that clear them. Read in sequence they form the chain of title. Realie collects these records directly from the source, which is what keeps them affordable — there is no reseller margin layered on top — and returns them joined to the parcel so you can see ownership, encumbrances, and transfer history together. One important distinction: this is recorded document data, not a title insurance product and not a legal opinion on marketability.

What recorded title data can and cannot tell you

It can tell you what has been filed: who transferred the property and when, what mortgages were recorded against it, what liens exist, and whether releases have been recorded. That is enough for underwriting screens, portfolio monitoring, lead qualification, and diligence triage.

It cannot tell you that title is clear. A title search performed by a licensed professional, and the insurance that follows it, address defects that recorded documents alone do not reveal — unrecorded interests, boundary disputes, forgery, or errors in the record itself. Recorded data is the input to that process, not a substitute for it.

Why sourcing directly lowers the price

Much of the title data on the market has passed through one or more aggregators, each adding margin. Collecting from county recorders directly removes those layers, and the same collection pipeline that serves parcel and assessor data serves these documents, so there is no separate product to price.

Practically, that means title-adjacent records fall under the same plan you already have — free tier, then $50, $150, or $350 per month — rather than a bespoke quote.

Frequently asked questions

Is this a title search or title insurance?
Neither. It is recorded document data from county recorders. A formal title search and title insurance are separate professional services.
Which documents are included?
Recorded deeds, mortgages, and liens, with transfer dates and, where published, amounts — joined to the parcel.
Is title data priced separately?
No. It is part of the same dataset and the same self-service plans as parcel and assessor data.
How far back does history go?
Depth varies by county, since it depends on what each recorder has digitized and published.