Announcements. Texas State Genealogical Society Annual Conference October 20-22, 2017, Houston, Texas

Transcription

1 Announcements Dallas Genealogical Society General Meeting September 9, 2017 with David Passman DGS 2017 Fall Seminar D. Joshua Taylor: Resource Goldmines September 30, Texas State Genealogical Society Annual Conference October 20-22, 2017, Houston, Texas

2 Dallas Genealogical Society Technology SIG 9 September 2017 Suzan Younger TechSIG Leader

3 Land Records Using Central Appraisal District Websites and Dallas County ROAM Define central appraisal district websites (CADs) Identify potential uses of the CADs Instructions for using Dallas Central Appraisal District (DCAD) website Discuss county clerk websites Demonstration of the Dallas County Clerk s website using ROAM

4 What is a Central Appraisal District (CAD)? In Texas It is a political subdivision of the State of Texas. There are 254 appraisal districts in Texas (same number of counties.) The primary purpose of a CAD is to value residential, commercial and business personal property as of January 1 of every year. A CAD provides appraised property value to taxing entities. CADs function independently from taxing entities according to state laws. CADs maintains property ownership records, appraises property for market values and administers property exemptions. These are contemporary records, BUT provide valuable information.

5 How Do CADs and Taxing Entities Differ? CADs appraises and assigns property values for use by taxing entities Taxing Entities use the property values from the CAD to: Set tax rates Issue tax bills Issue tax certificates Collect taxes Issue tax receipts

6 Central Appraisal Districts in the United States I have not checked all 50 states, but it appears central appraisal districts are widely used and you should check for a CAD in each county you research. CAD websites do not have consistent formats, but have fairly consistent content. You should always look for the term search appraisals to search for a property record as well as the term property search. Not all CAD websites are listed as central appraisal district, but may be part of the county assessor s website.

7 Texas State Comptroller

8 Texas State Comptroller

9 Why Use CAD Records? Property and tax records are staples of genealogical research. CAD records are information about real property and current taxable values and can be used as an index or beginning search information. The records provide most recent deed information. DCAD provides ownership records since 1999, with deed citations DCAD provides multiple mapping formats. The records provide ownership information. Churches, cemeteries, documentation for contemporary property ownership, Businesses, School district, building dates, property size Document this information for future genealogists

10

11

12 NAVIGATION LINKS: Starting points to use the DCAD records. About DCAD gives a short history of the DCAD and its mission statement. DCAD Video is an introductory video explaining the DCAD process and time lines. Search Appraisals is the primary page to search DCAD records. On-line Help has the link to the DCAD manual.

13

14

15

16 Watch for the type of account. A BPP designation is for business personal property and the ownership of a BPP account may not be the owner of the property. A BPP owner may be a tenant.

17

18

19 Type and size of improvements Year buildings were built Size of land School district

20 The building footprint is often blank or inaccurate. Click on History to get ownership information from 1999 forward.

21

22

23 Search Parcel Submit Feedback Clear Selection Switch Base Map Measure length, area, lat-long Share Map Legend DCAD Home Page Create Property Map (print) Help

24 The 2015 Hybrid shows the property as Google map version in Changes may have occurred in the property or nearby properties.

25 2015 view of St. Paul Hospital at 5909 Harry Hines, Dallas. The hospital complex has been demolished.

26 2017 Google Maps street view of 5909 Harry Hines, Dallas, TX. Construction of new academic building.

27 22 Nov 2015 Demolition of St. Paul Hospital, Dallas, TX

28 Current property owner

29

30 How do you find the address of a property? Use Google Maps Find the property in question. Place the cursor in the middle of the property image. Right click on the property. Click on What s here. Note address. Use that address for a CAD search.

31

32 When you see a deed transfer date of 1900, this is a default date used when DCAD has not entered an actual date.

33

34 Links to CAD related websites Dallas Central Appraisal Districts Texas County Appraisal Districts Online: links to all Texas County CADs Texas State Comptroller-Local Property Appraisal and Tax Information: Google search: county state central appraisal district Dallas County Texas central appraisal district

35 County Clerk Property Records Websites If you think central appraisal district websites differ in format and content, then you will have real challenges in using county clerk websites for property records. There is no consistency in format, content, index information, digital content or user-friendly access. Counties with large urban areas tend to have more options and online content. When researching a specific county, you need to create a research document with details about that county s resources, including how to use the on-line website.

36 Modern County Real Property Records Deeds, quitclaim deeds Agreements More often between businesses, but can address any number of issues. Condominium rules and regulations, common-wall agreements Easements The right to access, build, maintain or use property by a non-owner. Private companies: oil/gas transport lines Public utilities: electricity, water, telephone, natural gas Municipal/county improvements: sanitary sewers, waste water, water mains This tells you when these services became available to the families you research You may be surprised at how recent these services became available. When an grantee of an easement changes names or organizations, an updated easement document may record changes in marital status (a woman s name), death/estate issues

37 Modern County Real Property Records City Ordinances Records special arrangements or agreements for city streets. Records special access arrangements. Restrictions What can be built on the land, location on land, quality of buildings Restricts who can buy the property Read the deed for citations to additional property records, and get that document Even if your family did not sell property for an extended time, search the real property records for the entire time of ownership for these types of records.

38 Dallas County Clerk Website The Dallas County Clerk use the ROAM software application to digitize real property records and for public access Granicus: Rapid Online Access Management or ROAM Includes records from 1846 through the present All records are digital and can be accessed on-line through a per page cost or a monthly subscription. There is a full index of records from about forward to the present. The index prior to is manual and you must read through images of index pages.

39 Dallas County ROAM Website Access the website at: Register to use the website. You can register as 1) pay-as-you-go 2) unlimited unofficial access and 3) unlimited official access. Items 2 & 3 are by monthly subscription and depends on the number of users who need access. Log-in to begin searching.

40

41 Click on the ROAM icon to bring up the ROAM login page.

42

43 OPR records from to present, fully indexed. Use search box or Advanced Search Dashboard is with official access and has more functions. Marriage Records are index entries only. No digital copy of document. Advanced Search Historical Index is the index for records prior to Images of Volume/Book Pages. Search box The Historical Book are the Volumes or books with digital images of property record pages. Accessed page by page, not complete documents. You must know the volume/page #.

44 OPR or Advanced Search The boxes marked 1-5 are the search boxes you will use the most Search 1) instrument # or 4/5) Book/page The instrument number is a unique identifier for the property record and is a modern identifier. For more recent records, the instrument number is the only identifier; volume/book and pages are no longer used. For a few years the instrument # & Volume/book and page are used and can be searched.

45 Click on Instrument number to access the digital image of the document.

46 Click here to show digital copy of the document.

47 When searching the OPR section or Advanced Search, and using a Volume/Book and page search term, you must use the first page number of the document. It will not recognize any subsequent page numbers within the document. If the deed begins on page 114 and goes through 116, you cannot search for pages 115 or 116. Click here to download complete document

48 Historical Book: Searching records prior to when you have a Vol/Book/Page. All returns are single pages, not complete documents (one complete deed). You need to change page numbers until you have the complete document. 1. Select a Book type: 1) deed or 2) Aper Card - Maps 2. Type in the Volume or Book number 3. Type in the page number for each page of the document. This returns one page at a time and you need to keep searching for new pages until you find the end of the document. If the deed is Vol. 945, page 5, search first for page 5, then page 6, 7, etc. until you have the full document. You must download each page after a page search. It will not accumulate multiple pages.

49 You must download each individual page of the Historical Book Search if you want to save or purchase the file. Then change the Page number to the next page to continue downloading the entire document. It downloads as a PDF file.

50 Download and save this page and search on the next page until you have the complete document. The pages can be grouped together into a single document using certain software.

51 Using the Historical Index for documents prior to Select a Book Type: Deeds-Corporation-Grantee; Deeds-Corporation-Grantor; Deeds-Individual-Grantee, Deeds-Individual Grantor Then Select a time frame from Book Name and a letter of last name you are searching. See example below.

52 Sub-index page or Key Sheet: index to index page.

53 Choose the name you want to research and note the page number which is the number to the Index page. The example is S & M Construction on page 7.

54 Search the list for the index page 7.

55 Page 7 of the Index to Deeds. Find the grantor for the instrument you want. Note the Vol/page. Go to Historical Book and search the Vol/page. Vol 3818, page 547, Grantor= Silver

56

57 After clicking the search button, you will get the Vol/Book and page and you must click on the View Image. You can download or purchase this page. Remember you must search for each page of the document. Download each page and then search for the next page until you have the end of the document.

58 Dallas County ROAM Historical Deeds Yes, searching the index for Dallas County property records prior to is cumbersome and not the most efficient process. But we do have access to digital copies of Dallas County, Texas property records. Consider purchasing the unlimited unofficial access for one month and do all of your research in that time frame. If you have a significant Dallas County research, this may be the most cost effective.

59 Links to County Clerks Websites Dallas County, Texas ROAM website: Dallas County, Texas ROAM sign-in page: Texas Clerks Online: links to all Texas County Clerk websites

60 Technology SIG Presentations October 5, 2017: Internet Browser Bookmarks Tips to organize and share November 2, 2017: Facebook Pages for Genealogy December 7, 2017: Scanners 2018 possible topics five sessions: Land Records - Texas General Land Office Land Records - HistoryGeo Video, such as Adobe Spark Software or on-line application (Clooz, Evidentia, etc.) Update from RootsTech 2018 Detailed look at online resources of a repository Google Tips and Tricks Back-up options