Union County, NJ – Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi advises County residents to be aware that they can access certain types of property information free of charge through the County Clerk’s website on a 24/7 basis, or by calling or visiting the County Clerk’s offices in Elizabeth and Westfield during regular business hours.
“There is no need to pay a third party for information that my office makes available free of charge online, at your convenience,” said Ms. Rajoppi. “If you need assistance assessing this online public information, my professional staff will help you by phone or in person – also free of charge.”
In particular, Ms. Rajoppi drew attention to a recently circulated mailer in which a company advertises a fee of $79.00 to provide clients with a property’s transaction history.
“Any person with access to a computer can get a transaction history free of charge through the ‘Property Search’ link on my website, at their convenience, for property recorded after 1977,” said Ms. Rajoppi. “In addition, for those interested in schools, demographics and other details, that information is available for free, in user-friendly formats, through online real estate companies like Zillow.”
Property records prior to 1977 are kept in book form. Persons seeking records of pre-1977 property transactions can visit the County Clerk’s office in Elizabeth to search the books, with the assistance of County Clerk staff if needed.
Ms. Rajoppi also advised Union County residents to avoid property fraud committed in their name by signing up for the Property Fraud Alert system. This free, online service that sends an automatic alert when a Union County property document is filed in the subscriber’s name.
Union County residents can also increase their awareness of fraud and other consumer issues by subscribing to real-time alerts through the Anti-Fraud Toolkit, an information hub hosted by the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs.
To report a possible fraud or scam, Union County residents can file a complaint online with the Union County Department of Consumer Affairs online at ucnj.org/public-safety or call 908-654-9840.
For all Union County Clerk programs and services visit online at ucnj.org/county-clerk or call 908-527-4787.
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For all Union County programs and services visit ucnj.org, call the Public Info Line, 877-424-1234, email info@ucnj.org or use the online Contact Form.
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