Spokane County, Washington Property Records

Spokane County Property Search

Spokane County property records are legal files, records, reports, and written documents that contain information on a property. The most important property record is the deed as it records the ownership of a property.

In Spokane County, a property search is typically carried out to resolve or prevent disputes during land transactions. Before a property is bought or sold, a search can be conducted to verify ownership, assess the value of the property, or assess the risks associated with the property. Property searches can also be conducted by curious individuals to learn more about a property’s history or its previous owners.

Spokane County property records are maintained and disseminated by either the Spokane County Assessor's Office or the Spokane Treasurer’s Office. The assessor's office maintains all related Spokane County Public Records, including ownership information, property description, and tax assessments while the treasurer keeps property financial records (tax records). The property record available to requestors will depend on the record sought and which office maintains the record.

Are Spokane County Property Records Public?

According to the Washington State Public Records Act defined in Chapter 42.56 RCW (Revised Code of Washington), property records are public information. The act ensures that all state and local government agencies disclose their records to the public.

There are specific exemptions outlined in the act that prohibit records or certain portions of these records from being disclosed. These exemptions are put in place to maintain privacy and protect valuable and sensitive information. These include:

Private personal details, such as social security number, driver's license, etc., especially of students, patients, welfare recipients, and government employees are protected from public view.
Details disclosing property involved in current police investigations and crime victims or witnesses remain confidential.
Details or property appraisals to buy or sell property are deemed private while they are still being discussed or if the deal falls through.
Proprietary information and trade secrets.
Tax information that would violate an individual's privacy or create unfair competition.

What Do Spokane County Property Records Contain?

A vast amount of information can be found contained in different types of property records including:

Deed records: These contain ownership information, such as transfer of ownership, legal description, property location, parcel number, grantor, grantee, sales history transfer rights, date, and price.
Tax records: These detail the property's value, tax assessment, tax payment history, and exemption status if applicable.
Land records: These records show the land use and zoning details, plat or survey maps that outline the property's layout, dimensions, and boundaries.
Title Records: These typically contain details of any liens, claims, easements or encumbrances from legal judgments that affect the property.
Mortgage Records: These hold information about mortgages or loans active on the property, including the lender, amounts, and agreed terms.
Building and Construction Records: These are details about the property's structures, size, condition, and improvements made with photographs of the property. They also include construction permit records for building, renovation, or alterations and any inspection assessment results.

Where to Perform a Spokane County Property Lookup

There are various ways for individuals to look up and obtain property records.

Online County Databases:

State Archive Databases:

Spokane County Offices:

Assessor's Office
Treasurer's Office
County Clerk's Office (for additional information, such as deeds, land records, etc.)

Spokane Public Library

Real Estate or Title Companies

How to Perform a Property Owner Lookup in Spokane County

Persons who wish to perform a property owner lookup can visit the Spokane Public Library, which houses historical information on properties in the county dating from the late 1700s. They offer guides to searching their archives for the desired property records on their website.

Alternatively, requestors can directly contact or visit the Spokane County Assessor's Office, Treasurer's Office, or County Clerk’s Office and request for ownership information and records by providing the required information.

They may also contact real estate or title companies in the county to assist in performing a property owner lookup as such companies have access to title documents that contain ownership information.

Individuals are able to perform an online search using different search databases and websites provided by Spokane County and the state of Washington. These databases give access to property documents that contain property ownership information, tax information, plats, building characteristics, and other relevant details.

How to Find Spokane County Property Records Online

The following steps can guide an individual to find and obtain Spoken County property records online:

To use the Property Information Search tool, input the property's parcel number or street address.
The Spokane SCOUT Property Information Map lets requestors search for property records using the property address and parcel number. The search returns results shown in a map view and shows the property boundaries, zoning, and other mapping data.
The Washington State Digital Archives website has a search tool that enables individuals to search digital archives across the whole state.
- Input the party's name in the search box
- Choose one of the available collections from the provided dropdown. The collections include land records, maps, plats and surveys records, and real property records cards.
- The desired record will be displayed according to the search

Besides the aforementioned options, third-party service providers can facilitate the online search for property records. These databases aggregate property records from various sources including the county's database. Users may be required to create an account to use these services. Furthermore, they must provide information to search with such as the property address, owner name, or parcel number. The results obtained would typically include the owner's details, property value, tax information, sales history, etc. These databases can vary in cost and give users limited information and basic details for free but require a one-time fee or subscription for extensive information.

How to Find Property Owner by Address for Free

Spokane County provides the online Property Information Search tool that allows individuals to search for property records using the property's street address. The search will display the property owner's name as well as the property value, building details, etc. The Property Information Map is another option for finding property records using the property address.

Likewise, the Washington Information System for Architectural and Archeological Records Data (WISAARD) allows individuals to search for property that has been inventoried, surveyed, and listed in any county within the state. The database holds inventories that contain the property's historical records including the owner's name, building year, etc. Inquirers can search using the listed address of the property to access the records.

Spokane County Property Tax Lookup

Individuals can access property tax details in Spokane County through these methods:

The Property Information Search online platform gives access to property tax assessment exemption status, delinquent taxes, and valuation details.
By contacting the Treasurer's office directly or visiting in person, inquirers can request tax information.
Contacting the Assessor's Office or leaving a request via their website.

Several situations can warrant a necessary tax lookup including:

Purchasing or selling a property: It is important to know the property's tax details and access the property's value for any potential transaction.
Tax payment and budgeting: Property owners can access tax assessment information to understand the amount they need to pay or budget for.
Refinancing mortgages: In order to refinance a mortgage, a mortgage lender would need to obtain the property's tax information for valuation.
Resolving a dispute: Property tax information can be crucial in the case of disputes, either in legal court proceedings or disputing the property's assessed value.

How to Find Spokane County Property Appraiser

Individuals can contact the Spokane County Assessor's Office as they have official appraisers and evaluate property in the county. They can also search online directories, search the internet, and check nearby real estate agencies or professional organizations like Appraisal Institute.

Appraisals determine property value by offering real estate appraisals. Their services usually expand to tax assessment, divorce appraisals, appraisal reviews, probate, commercial, and foreclosure appraisals.

Spokane County Property Assessor

The Spokane County Assessor offers many services relating to real property and tax within the county, including:

Assessing property value to determine taxes
Inspecting properties for accurate property valuation
Maintaining and dispensing property records and mapping data
Revaluing property parcels
Ruling on property assessment appeals
Setting property tax exemptions or reductions for eligible properties
Offering tax relief on the current year’s property taxes for owners affected by wildfires
Classifying the use of land such as residential, commercial, agriculture, etc.

The address and contact of the Spokane County Property Assessor are provided below.

1116 West Broadway Avenue
County Courthouse
1st Floor
Spokane, WA 99260-0010
Phone: (509) 477-36981