Cook County property fraud alert and deed monitoring
Property Watch checks any Cook County address you add every night: new documents recorded against the parcel in the official Cook County recording records, the owner of record, Chicago building records and the official tax sale and surplus lists. The Cook County Clerk, Recordings also runs Property Fraud Alert, free, which watches PIN and property address (the parcel) and notifies by email and/or phone call.
The county's own alert
Property Fraud Alert
- Run by
- Cook County Clerk, Recordings
- Watches
- PIN and property address (the parcel)
- Notifies by
- email and/or phone call
- Cost
- Free
- Note
- It is a notice of recordation, not a freeze on title.
What Property Watch checks in Cook County
| Check | What it watches | Official source | How often |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recorded documents | New deeds, mortgages, releases, liens and other documents recorded against the parcel. | official Cook County recording records | nightly |
| Owner of record | A change of the owner of record on the county assessment roll. | County assessor roll | nightly |
| Building records | New Chicago building violations and permits. Addresses outside Chicago have no city building records to watch. | City building records | nightly |
| Tax sale and surplus lists | The parcel appearing on an official tax sale, sheriff sale or surplus funds list. | Official county lists | nightly |
| Federal courts | Federal civil and bankruptcy cases naming the owner of record. A name match, not proof the case concerns the property. | Federal court records | weekly |
The county alert and Property Watch side by side
| Property Fraud Alert | Property Watch | |
|---|---|---|
| Documents recorded | Yes, by PIN and property address (the parcel) | Yes, matched to the parcel |
| Owner of record changes | No | Yes |
| Building violations | No | Chicago only |
| Tax sale and surplus lists | No | Yes, the official lists |
| Several counties on one page | No | Yes |
| Official record | Yes, it is the recording office | Checks official records |
| Cost | Free | First property free, then $7 a month each |
Property Watch tells you what was recorded or changed. It cannot stop a filing, does not lock or freeze a title, is not title insurance and is not legal advice.
See everything recorded against a Cook County property
AI title search, $49 per report. Usually ready in about a minute. Full refund if we can't deliver.
More official records for Cook County
- Cook County property history lookup: Free timeline of what has been recorded against any Cook County property: deeds, sale prices, mortgages and releases by year, from official county records.
- Chicago building violations and permits: Free lookup of open violations, condemned or unsafe cases and building permits for any Chicago address. The report adds them to the title search.
Questions
Does Cook County have a property fraud alert?
Yes. Property Watch checks any Cook County address every night for new documents recorded against the parcel, the owner of record and the official lists. The Cook County Clerk, Recordings also runs Property Fraud Alert, a free service, which watches PIN and property address (the parcel) and notifies by email and/or phone call. It is a notice of recordation, not a freeze on title.
What does Property Watch check for a Cook County property?
Recorded documents (nightly, official Cook County recording records); Owner of record (nightly, County assessor roll); Building records (nightly, City building records); Tax sale and surplus lists (nightly, Official county lists); Federal courts (weekly, Federal court records).
Does Property Watch see a deed the night it is recorded in Cook County?
It sees it the first night it appears in the official Cook County recording records. Records can trail the recording desk by days, and the alert gives the recording date the record states.
What should I do if a deed I did not sign is recorded in Cook County?
Get a copy of the document from the Cook County Clerk, Recordings, contact that office, report the forgery to local law enforcement, tell your lender if a loan is involved, and talk to a real estate attorney. Property Watch tells you what was recorded or changed. It cannot stop a filing, does not lock or freeze a title, is not title insurance and is not legal advice.