Find the source and read the small print
Start with the official recording office for the property's jurisdiction. Follow the links and research instructions on its own website. A search engine can help you find the office, but the first commercial result is not necessarily the official source you need.
Check which records the portal makes available and how you can search them. Look for information about historical coverage, document images, updates, and access requirements. If a limit is not explained, keep it as a question rather than assuming the online collection contains everything.
For a concrete example, Maricopa County publishes instructions for searching full text by names, legal descriptions, and addresses. At the time of this review, that page describes a two year search window. Check the current coverage and other search options rather than treating a full text search as a search of every historical record. Do not assume another county offers the same tools.
Note the portal address, access date, and agreed search scope before you begin.
Get the property details straight
Collect the identifiers you already have, along with the documents or messages they came from. Keep names, addresses, parcel numbers, and descriptions separate. If two sources give different details, write down the difference before searching.
Our guide to property identifiers explains why an address, parcel number, and legal description do different jobs. A familiar address can be a useful starting point without proving that every result belongs in your file.
Follow the portal's instructions and the scope set by the person responsible for the assignment. Save the terms you used, including any spelling variations. That lets the next reviewer understand the search instead of guessing what a blank result means.
Log searches with no matches. Distinguish nothing found from not searched.
Open the document behind the result
An index result helps you locate a record. If your task requires reviewing the document, open the image and check that the pages you need are actually there. A recording number and a promising document label are not the same thing as reading the record.
Here is a fictional example. You download a deed with three pages, but page three refers to Exhibit A and the download ends there. Save the available pages and recording reference. Then mark the exhibit as missing and record the next step for obtaining it.
Do not fill the gap with a nearby parcel description. Related information is not the missing attachment.
Cornell's explanation of recording also notes that recording offices generally do not verify the validity of recorded claims. Finding a recorded document is not, by itself, a final ownership conclusion. Keep retrieval and interpretation as separate steps.
Leave a trail another person can follow
A simple search log can do most of the organizational work. Give each attempt a row with the source, access date, search terms, relevant period, result, and any document references. Add a short note for missing pages or a source you could not access.
Keep different outcomes distinct. A portal outage is not a successful search with no matches. A candidate document is not a confirmed connection. Clear labels make it easier to decide what should happen next without repeating the whole process.
As the file grows, keep source references beside each proposed connection. Our guide to checking an AI abstract shows how to separate a supported field from an unresolved document relationship. The same habit helps when reviewing work prepared by a person.
Before handing it over, ask whether the reviewer can find the documents, see the search limits, and identify open questions. TITL's records workflow provides product context. The goal is not just a full folder, but a file someone can actually use.
| Outcome | What to record | What it does not establish |
|---|---|---|
| No matches returned | Source, access date, exact terms, filters, and period searched | That no relevant document exists outside those search conditions |
| Possible match found | Recording reference and the detail that made it a candidate | That the record affects the subject property or person |
| Image unavailable | The index reference and what prevented retrieval | That the document was reviewed or contains no relevant information |
| Pages retrieved | Saved copy, page count, and any referenced attachment not supplied | That the document is complete or its legal effect has been decided |
| Portal unavailable | Source, attempted access time, and the issue encountered | A completed search with no results |
Sources & further reading
General educational information, not a title opinion, insurance commitment, or legal advice. Questions about a particular property or transaction should be reviewed by an appropriate title professional or attorney.
