Adams County, IN Property Records: Search Deeds, Owners, Tax Records, and Maps

Adams County is close to Fort Wayne and western Ohio cities like Van Wert and Lima. The local economy and real estate market rely on farming. With about 339 square miles of land, it records approximately 19,500 individual parcels. Several offices maintain county property records, including the Assessor’s, Auditor’s, Recorder’s, and Treasurer’s offices.

It takes about 26 days for a property that is for sale to receive an offer from buyers. This is faster than the Indiana average. Common residential properties people invest in are single-family detached homes and multi-unit apartments. They make up the vast majority of the residential market and are found mainly in Decatur, Berne, Geneva, and Monroe.

Recent records reveal the underlying factors influencing the local real estate market, with a median home value of $167,250 and median rent of $759, alongside a median household income of $62,466.5 and a median real estate tax rate of 0.77 as a percentage of the property's assessed value.

How to Look Up Adams County Property Records

You can search property records through the county offices or through online portals. The table below shows the offices, the type of records they maintain, and their online portals that can be used to access property records in the county:

Who Keeps Adams County Property Records?

Four main departments keep the County property records. Access to these records is made possible by the Indiana Access to Public Records Act. Below are the offices with their respective work:

• The Adams County Recorder’s Office processes and stores documents related to real estate. These files include mortgages, deeds, easements, plats, and liens.

• The County Assessor’s Office's main duty is to accurately and uniformly determine the market value in use of every real property in the county.

• The Adams County Auditor’s Office administers all real property transfers. This relates to ownership and taxation.

• The Office of the Treasurer collects all the county taxes, including those of real estate, personal property, and mobile homes. It also administers delinquent taxes.

How to Search Adams County Property Records Online

The following steps will help in searching property records online:

1. You can first locate the property through the Public GIS/Property Information Search Portal. Search by the parcel number, address, or owner name.
2. Fill out the required fields and click Search. You will find property ownership details, deductions, transfers, values, tax information, legal descriptions, and more.
3. Through the Land Records Search, you can find deeds and other related property documents. You can search by the owner's name and other filters.
4. Check the tax bill by visiting the tax information page to view the current tax balance and payment details. This helps the buyer identify tax details before purchasing a property.

Recorder: Deeds, Mortgages, and Plats

The Recorder’s Office in Adams records and maintains all deeds, mortgages, contracts, plats, and liens. The office provides access to the land record search portal and offers public access computers for requesters' convenience.

When ownership changes, the new owner must submit the deed and related transfer documents to this office. The new owner should then pay the transfer fees before the county updates its tax maps accordingly.

Assessor and Auditor: Ownership, Values, and Parcel Data

The Assessor’s Office conducts reviews of land sales to ensure uniform property values. It also supervises the reassessment process and certifies assessments to the county's Auditor. The Adams County Auditor processes and applies tax deductions and calculates tax bills.

Treasurers: Tax Bills and Payments

The Treasurer’s Office is responsible for sending and collecting property tax bills and ensuring all delinquent taxes are cleared. The office oversees the annual real estate tax sale. Property taxes are paid in two installments. The spring installment is due May 11, and the fall.

Property Tax in Adams County: Caps, Deductions, and Appeals

A property tax bill is determined by the assessed value of the property after the deduction, and the net assessed value is then multiplied by the local tax rate.

Circuit-breaker caps

The circuit-breaker cap cushions your tax bill. As a property owner, you cannot pay more than a specific percentage of gross assessed value, depending on the type of property. Commonly used limits are 1% for homestead property, 2% for other residential property and long-term care property, and 3% for personal property and non-residential property.

Deductions and relief

Appealing your value

If you are not satisfied with the assessment notice you received for your property, you can appeal with the Adams County assessor within 45 days of the date on the notice. Present any evidence to the assessor at the hearing. You may appeal assessor denials to the Property Tax Assessment Board of Appeals (PTABOA). If necessary, you can proceed to the Indiana Board of Tax Review (IBTR). That is after the PTABOA determination.

GIS Maps and Parcel Viewer

The ArcGIS Viewer can help anyone to view parcel information such as property boundaries, dimensions, acreage, aerial imagery, and topography across the county. It allows users to search by an address or parcel number.

Foreclosure and Tax Sales

Below is how mortgage foreclosure and tax sales work in Adams.

Mortgage Foreclosure

If you buy a home with a loan and default repeatedly, the lender can take legal action to seize your home. The lender must first file a lawsuit in court against you. The court will decide whether the property is sold at a public auction at a sheriff’s sale. The proceeds from the sale will be used to settle the debt.

Tax Sale

A tax sale is for property that has been delinquent. Your property will be listed for tax sale after you repeatedly miss payments. The county auditor and treasurer will apply for a court judgment against you to sell your property at the public auction to the highest bidders.

Such sales are held at the courthouse. The owner has a 12-month right to redemption to take back their property. However, they must pay all the debt plus accrued interest and penalties.

Costs to Access Property Records

Fees may apply when recording documents or requesting copies of property records in Adams County. The amount depends on the type of document or service. The table below lists the fees for accessing or recording property records.

How to Record a Document

The following are the steps to take when recording a property document in the county:

1. Prepare the documents. Make sure they contain the information required by Indiana law. Include valid signatures and notary acknowledgment.
2. Check the recording fees before submitting the document. Fees vary by document type. Recording a deed in Adams County costs $25 per document, while recording a mortgage costs $55.
3. Submit the complete documents with payment to the Recorder’s Office for recording. You can also submit it electronically through approved e-recording vendors.
4. Once submitted, the recorder will review the documents, assign an instrument number, and add the document to the county’s official land records. If needed, request certified copies from the office in person.

FAQs

Quick Reference: Your Adams County Property Records Checklist

Key Contacts and Official Portals