Bernalillo County Property Search
Every piece of real estate in Bernalillo County, New Mexico, has paperwork documenting its ownership, assessment, and taxes. If a property has ever been sold, transferred, mortgaged, assessed, taxed, or used as collateral, there will be documents to prove the transactions happened. These documents are typically maintained by the offices of the County Clerk, Assessor, and Treasurer, and they make up Bernalillo County's property records.
Members of the public often search for property records when involved in a real estate transaction. Intending buyers may want to verify ownership details, confirm the county's property assessment, check for pending tax payments, or look up a property's tax history. Property owners may check property records to verify the accuracy of their tax assessments. They can then use the information to challenge or appeal their taxes if wrongly assessed. Other entities, such as insurance companies, lenders, real estate agents, and appraisers, also rely on property records when making real estate-related business decisions.
The Bernalillo County officials that maintain property records offer interested members of the public various means to obtain them.
Are Bernalillo County Property Records Public?
Yes. New Mexico's Inspection of Public Records Act (IPRA), §14-2-1 to -12 NMSA 1978, grants the public the right to inspect Bernalillo County official records, including property records, with specific exceptions. Those exceptions include trade secrets, privileged information, such as attorney-client communications, and records restricted by court rules or state/federal law.
What Do Bernalillo County Property Records Contain?
Property records in Bernalillo County include all documents and information relating to the sale, transfer, financing, appraisal, and other transactional activities involving real estate.
Some property documents include:
- Quitclaim Deed
- Certificate of Occupancy
- Warranty Deed
- Deed of Trust
- Reconveyance
- Lien
- Maps
- Mortgage
- Real Estate Contract
People can also find important information such as a property's valuation, ownership details, tax estimates, and due taxes in property records.
Where to Perform a Bernalillo County Property Lookup
Interested parties can view and obtain property information in Bernalillo County in the following ways:
- Visiting the offices of the Bernalillo County Clerk, Treasurer, or Assessor
- Using online portals provided by the Bernalillo County Treasurer, Assessor, or Clerk
How to Perform a Property Owner Lookup in Bernalillo County
Members of the public can verify property ownership in Bernalillo County by using online tools provided by the County Clerk, Treasurer, and Assessor. They can use different search parameters, depending on the online portal, to find the owner of a parcel or piece of real estate. For example, the search portals from the Assessor and Treasurer's offices allow a search by address or parcel ID. Meanwhile, persons using the County Clerk's portal can use search parameters such as a document number, legal description, or grantee/grantor details to look up property ownership documents.
Intending requesters can also visit the County Clerk's office at the following address to search for official property records:
415 Silver Avenue South West
Albuquerque, NM 87102
Phone: (505) 243-(8683)
How to Find Bernalillo County Property Records Online
Different online search options exist for individuals wishing to find Bernalillo property records online. For example, the County Clerk and Assessor's offices provide online tools that aid members of the public in viewing limited property information online.
Using the County Clerk's Property Search Tool
The Bernalillo County Clerk's online document search tool is a general index of publicly available documents recorded by the office. Users can also purchase copies of documents through the platform or contact or visit the Clerk's office for official copies of documents.
After acknowledging the platform's disclaimer, site visitors can click the "Public Login" button to start their search. The "Registered Users" login section is reserved for county employee users.
The public search interface allows individuals to search for records by name, document recording details (number and book/page), legal description, grantor and grantee information, or Quickdocs tracking number. Users can narrow their search by unchecking the box on the right side of the screen and selecting the type of document whose information they want to view.
An individual can tick the "Purchase" checkbox after they see the search results and select "Purchase selected" to order pages of documents they want to view.
Using the County Assessor's Property Search Platform
The County Assessor's Property Record Search portal allows members of the public to view a wide range of property details, including a property's class, parcel ID, parcel address, tax year, tax district, assessed value, owner name, owner mailing address, description, lot size, use code, and net taxable value. The public can also examine any publicly available property's map and satellite view using this platform. The site can be searched with an address or parcel ID. If one does not know the Parcel ID or exact address, they can enter the street name alone and filter the search results. Individuals can also choose a search year to constrain the search further.
Using Third-Party Aggregate Websites
Third-party aggregate websites offer members of the public another convenient option to search for Bernalillo County property records online. These businesses collect and compile data from government agencies and other sources, often provided to consumers at a fee.
People who use these sites can typically look up different property records across various locations. Search filters generally available to help site users narrow their searches include a name and address.
The fees for these services vary by site and the type of record the user wants to view or obtain.
How to Find Property Owner by Address for Free
The Bernalillo County Assessor's database is the most convenient option to find a property's ownership details using an address as the search parameter. As mentioned earlier, users can use a street name alone to start the search if they do not know the address number. They can then review the results to find the property of interest.
Bernalillo County Property Tax Lookup
The Bernalillo County Treasurer collects the county's property taxes and keeps records of paid and due taxes.
Property stakeholders rely on tax records to facilitate real estate transactions in the county. People typically require tax records for the following purposes:
- Insurance
- Mortgage and refinancing
- Property acquisition
- Property tax appeals
- Other real estate disputes
Businesses and individuals can look up property tax information on the website of the Bernalillo County Treasurer. The office's online tax lookup system allows the public to view basic tax records of most properties in the county. The database shows each property's net taxable value, due taxes, and pending balance. It also offers basic property details such as the owner's name, property address and classification, and the owner's mailing address.
Individuals can search by property address or parcel ID. If one does not have the complete information for either search parameter, they can type in the street name to see every property on the street.
How to Find Bernalillo County Property Appraiser
People who want to purchase or sell properties, take out mortgages, or buy insurance always seek professional help from real estate appraisers to know a property's value. Property appraisers also provide professional input in legal matters, such as wills, divorce, and tax appeals.
Individuals can search online to find property appraisers in Bernalillo County. However, it is crucial to verify the license of each potential appraiser. According to 47-14-3 NMSA 1978, it is illegal for any individual or business to conduct property appraisal business professionally without obtaining a license from the Real Estate Appraiser Board.
Members of the public can visit the board's Licensing, Registration, and Renewal webpage and use the license verification tool to confirm the license of any appraiser operating in Bernalillo County.
Bernalillo County Property Assessor
The Bernalillo County Assessor follows statutory instructions under 7-36-2 NMSA 1978 (Property Tax Code) to determine the value of every property in the county for tax purposes. The assessor also applies legal exemptions for properties not mandated to pay taxes.
Individuals can contact the assessor to verify their property assessment to determine how much they will pay in taxes. They can also file a protest if they have reservations about their property assessment.
The County Assessor's office is located at:
415 Silver Avenue South West
Albuquerque, NM 87102
Phone: (505) 222-3700