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April 7, 2004GT COUNTY: Property records hitting InternetCo-owner of title firm says it will save timeByRecord-Eagle staff writer TRAVERSE CITY - The Grand Traverse County Register of Deeds is about to click into the 21st century with online access to property records. The office began scanning documents into a new Windows-based computer program this week that officials say will make searching easier and more convenient for staff, title companies, assessors and eventually the public. "I was pretty much sold on another program but when I saw this one it just blew me away," Register of Deeds Peggy Haines said. Haines said Grand Traverse will be one of the first counties in northern Michigan to go online. Online access can save title companies considerable time, said Mary Jackowski, co-owner of Pavillion Title Services. Searches currently are done in person at the office during regular business hours. The online access will be available 24 hours a day. Terry Bovee, owner of Traverse Area Title Service Inc., said most of their title work is done in the evening and the system could help him save on employee costs. The upgrade from Fidlar Software of Illinois cost the county $151,500, plus an annual maintenance fee of $15,300. Funding comes from a technology fund that secures $5 from every recorded property transaction, Haines said. Once the old computer records are converted the county will set up online access for title companies and assessors, followed by the general public. Haines will set up a free site for the public to obtain limited information such as the seller's and buyer's names and date of transaction. Fidlar believes it will take about 60 days to complete the upgrades. Title companies will gain complete document access through a paid subscription of $500 a month. Individuals can obtain the same information with a credit card for $3.99 plus 50 cents per page. The fee schedule has title companies in a wait-and-see mode. Jackowski said buy-and-sell title searches must go back 40 years, so the records will have to go back further to make it worthwhile for Pavillion Title. The county will begin scanning in paper deeds from previous years back to 1950 once the system is up, Haines said.
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