When an agent walks into a listing appointment, the seller expects them to know the property — not just the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, but what the town has on record. What’s the actual square footage according to the assessor? Was the addition permitted? Is the property in a flood zone? Can the buyer run a business out of the home? These are the questions that come up in every transaction, and the answers aren’t in the MLS.

They’re in municipal records — property cards, deeds, zoning maps, permit files, and assessment data that every town maintains and makes available to the public. Agents who know how to find and use this information walk into every appointment better prepared, catch problems before they cost their clients money, and build the kind of credibility that earns referrals.

This course teaches you where to find these records, how to read them, and how to use them to serve your clients at a higher level — whether you’re pricing a listing, advising a buyer, or navigating a transaction with a property that has a complicated history.

What You’ll Learn:

  • How to read a property card and what each field tells you about the property
  • How to verify GLA, room counts, and property features against town records
  • How to research permit history and identify unpermitted work
  • How zoning designations affect what a buyer can and cannot do with a property
  • How to use deed records, tax maps, and assessment data in your analysis
  • How to catch discrepancies between MLS data and municipal records before they become problems

CE Hours: 3 | Credit Type: Elective | Price: $30

Course Content

Before You Begin
Start Here
Why Municipal Research Matters
What’s at Stake in Every Transaction
How Records Connect Across Departments
Public Records Laws: Your Rights, the Limits, and Common Myths
1 Quiz
Section 1 Quiz: Why Municipal Research Matters
The Town/City Clerk/Register of Deeds - Your Land Records Source
The Clerk’s Role
Deeds and Chain of Title
Easements: Three Types You Need to Recognize
Liens, Restrictions, and Covenants
When the Seller Isn’t a Person
1 Quiz
Section 2 Quiz: Town/City Clerk & Land Records
The Assessor’s Office — Property Cards and Valuations
The Assessor’s Role
Reading a Property Card
Tax Maps and Property Boundaries
Revaluation Cycles and Special Designations
Building Classifications and Use Codes
Common Red Flags in Assessor Records
1 Quiz
Section 3 Quiz: The Assessor’s Office
The Tax Collector — What the Property Owes
Tax Records and Why They Affect Closings
Mill Rates and Tax Math
Special Assessments: The Hidden Charges
Tax Prorations at Closing
Liens, Tax Status, and Closing Risk
1 Quiz
Section 4 Quiz: The Tax Collector
Final Quizzes
Final Exam — Municipal Records, Zoning and Compliance
Course Evaluation — Municipal Records, Zoning and Compliance