Need help researching past sales history

**mtl777** · 08-19-2011, 12:27 PM

Hi, I need to research comparable sales to support my decline in value application with the Los Angeles County Assessor. I need sales data from Jan 2009 to April 2010. The most important info I need to know is whether the sale of the home is a regular sale or a foreclosed property sale, because I can only present comparables that are regular sales and not foreclosures. So far the only websites I have gone to do not provide this info let alone allow me to search as far back as 2009 to look up past sales. Would someone please be kind enough to tell me what website I could access to find this info? Or, if not a website, how I could get this info. Your help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance! Michael L.

**Greg** · 08-20-2011, 04:38 AM

Everybody's property values have come down so if the county tax assessor lowers your assessment then they will have to lower everyone's assessment. That would be the only fair way to do it, correct?

If they lower everyone's tax assessment then they will have to raise the tax rate to make up for the lost income. So, don't expect to get too far with getting your tax assessment lowered unless it is unrealistically high compared to your neighbors.

The best places to get the sold data is from the county or a local real estate agent.

**VancouverWa** · 08-21-2011, 10:49 AM

Originally Posted by mtl777

Hi, I need to research comparable sales to support my decline in value application with the Los Angeles County Assessor. I need sales data from Jan 2009 to April 2010. The most important info I need to know is whether the sale of the home is a regular sale or a foreclosed property sale, because I can only present comparables that are regular sales and not foreclosures. So far the only websites I have gone to do not provide this info let alone allow me to search as far back as 2009 to look up past sales. Would someone please be kind enough to tell me what website I could access to find this info? Or, if not a website, how I could get this info. Your help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance! Michael L.

Try your local title company. They will usually have more sale data than the local MLS. Also, be aware that sale data rarely mentions concessions given to buyers, so you might want to do some calling too.