Frequently Asked Questions

What is a municipal lien search?

A municipal lien search is a due diligence process conducted on a property to identify any outstanding financial obligations or legal issues that the property may have with the local municipality or government. The purpose of a municipal lien search is to provide valuable information to buyers, sellers, and/or real estate professionals during property transactions, helping them make informed decisions and preventing unexpected financial or legal complications in the future.

What is included in a municipal lien search?

IMR Lien Services provides clients with a full municipal lien search, which includes property taxes assessment, open or expired permits, code violations, and other potential liens or encumbrances that could affect the property's title or ownership. 

This information is provided to you in a Lien Search Report, which summarizes the results in an easy to read and understand document. With that document will be all supporting documentation for your own verification. 

Don't title companies do this? 

Title companies often provide this service to their clients, however, the lien search is usually outsourced to a third party. The primary reason for this is title companies cannot legally charge for the service. Lien searches can be complicated and time consuming but are an important part of ensuring a smooth transaction. The cost of a lien search is a "pass through cost" - meaning the title company orders the service, provides the results, and the cost is listed on the Settlement Disclosure Form to be paid by the seller/buyer. That money is then paid to the third party who conducted the lien search. Because municipal lien searches can take time (up to three weeks in some cases), issues involving open permits, code violations, or tax liens may not be addressed in a timely manner prior to the closing date.

How does pricing work?

There is a flat fee ($110.00) plus the cost of the search charged by individual cities. Since you are paying up front and likely want results as soon as possible, where available we opt for the "rush" option that some but not all cities offer. IMR Lien Services' prices beat out all local competitors (their flat fees range from $140 to $295). Whether you pay upfront for our service or go through a title company, you will still pay for the municipal lien search - the most important difference is timing: you will receive your municipal lien search report much earlier than waiting for a title company to order it, after which you would pay for the service at closing. 

What if the property is part of an condominium HOA?

If the property if part of a condo HOA, there is a flat fee charge of $110.

Are municipal lien searches required by law in a real estate transaction?

The state of Florida does not require a municipal lien search to be done to complete a real estate transaction. However, some counties (Broward, Miami-Dade, Palm Beach, Collier, Hillsborough, Duval, and others) do require a municipal lien search to be done prior to closing on a property.