Buying a home in Los Angeles: check the property history first
A house has a history that the listing may not mention. Before you make an offer, the public record can raise questions worth asking your agent and your inspector. This guide is for addresses in the City of Los Angeles.
Permit history
Permits show what work was approved and finished. A large addition, a converted garage or major electrical or plumbing work with no permit on record is worth asking about. A missing permit does not prove the work was unpermitted, but it is a signal to investigate.
Assessor record
The County Assessor lists year built, living area, lot size and number of units. Compare it with the listing. A big difference can mean an addition that was never recorded.
Hazard zones
Check whether the home sits in a mapped flood, fire severity, earthquake fault, liquefaction, landslide or tsunami zone. Sellers may have to disclose some of these. The maps are a starting point, not an inspection, and not every area is mapped.
Zoning
Zoning tells you what can legally be built or changed on the lot, which matters if you plan to add a unit or remodel.
Owner, lien and title records
Deedlore can also fetch owner, lien and title records as separate, extra fee requests, handled by hand. These are summaries of public records, not title insurance, and not a preliminary title report.
How Deedlore helps
Deedlore puts the permit history, assessor details, hazard zones and zoning for a City of Los Angeles address into one report. It is not legal advice, not an inspection and does not replace your agent, inspector or attorney.
Deedlore covers addresses in the City of Los Angeles only. Reports summarize public records as of the date shown, may be incomplete, describe properties and not people, and are not legal advice. Deedlore is not a consumer reporting agency, and reports may not be used to decide eligibility for credit, employment, insurance or tenancy. Deedlore is not affiliated with Airbnb, Vrbo or any booking platform.
Know before you book!
Common questions
Does Deedlore check the host?
No. Deedlore describes properties, not people. It does not show host names or run background checks.
Does a registered rental mean a safe stay?
No. A registration shows what the City has on file as of the date checked. It is not a finding that a stay will be safe or good.
Which addresses are covered?
Addresses in the City of Los Angeles only. Other cities, including Santa Monica and Beverly Hills, have their own rules.