WHO REALLY OWNS THE PROPERTY? Old titles, deeds and surveys

Hey folks! I believe that a garage next to my property may belong to me. The certificate of occupancy is in my file with my address on it. Can you recommend a title/survey company that specializes in going back to either 1889 when my home was built? Or 1926 when the C/O was issued for the garage ? Thanks much for your comments and experiences.

Sheffey

in General Discussion 8 years and 2 months ago

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Guest User | 8 years and 2 months ago

string(1) "3"
string(6) "195579"

dang… sorry to hear that, Sheffey, they were an institution. i wonder who inherited their archives…

Guest User | 8 years and 2 months ago

string(1) "3"
string(6) "195579"

dang… sorry to hear that, Sheffey, they were an institution. i wonder who inherited their archives…

Guest User | 8 years and 2 months ago

string(1) "3"
string(6) "195579"

dang… sorry to hear that, Sheffey, they were an institution. i wonder who inherited their archives…

Sheffey | 8 years and 2 months ago

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BTW… Lovell & Belcher are permanently closed.

Sheffey | 8 years and 2 months ago

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Maggie O! Thank you!!! I’m on it!!

cate | 8 years and 2 months ago

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Thank you OP for the update. Please keep us posted!

Guest User | 8 years and 2 months ago

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Sheffey – I would suggest doing some more digging on your own because you may be able to find an answer to this yourself. Check out the city’s digital tax map (http://gis.nyc.gov/taxmap/map.htm) above the map on the right you’ll see a tab marked “historical alteration books” and if you put in the borough block and lot on the left hand side it should pull up alterations to the tax lot that have been made over the years. You should also check what documents are available on ACRIS (https://a836-acris.nyc.gov/DS/DocumentSearch/BBL) for your property and for your neighbor’s property as there should be specific descriptions of the borders of each property contained within the deed documents. If you compare the descriptions to the way the tax lots look on the current tax map you should be able to see if there’s a discrepancy between the shape of the tax lot and the deed description. Beyond that, I’ve used Lovell & Belcher for property survey in Manhattan but they probably do Brooklyn as well.

Guest User | 8 years and 2 months ago

string(1) "3"
string(6) "195579"

Sheffey – I would suggest doing some more digging on your own because you may be able to find an answer to this yourself. Check out the city’s digital tax map (http://gis.nyc.gov/taxmap/map.htm) above the map on the right you’ll see a tab marked “historical alteration books” and if you put in the borough block and lot on the left hand side it should pull up alterations to the tax lot that have been made over the years. You should also check what documents are available on ACRIS (https://a836-acris.nyc.gov/DS/DocumentSearch/BBL) for your property and for your neighbor’s property as there should be specific descriptions of the borders of each property contained within the deed documents. If you compare the descriptions to the way the tax lots look on the current tax map you should be able to see if there’s a discrepancy between the shape of the tax lot and the deed description. Beyond that, I’ve used Lovell & Belcher for property survey in Manhattan but they probably do Brooklyn as well.

Guest User | 8 years and 2 months ago

string(1) "3"
string(6) "195579"

Sheffey – I would suggest doing some more digging on your own because you may be able to find an answer to this yourself. Check out the city’s digital tax map (http://gis.nyc.gov/taxmap/map.htm) above the map on the right you’ll see a tab marked “historical alteration books” and if you put in the borough block and lot on the left hand side it should pull up alterations to the tax lot that have been made over the years. You should also check what documents are available on ACRIS (https://a836-acris.nyc.gov/DS/DocumentSearch/BBL) for your property and for your neighbor’s property as there should be specific descriptions of the borders of each property contained within the deed documents. If you compare the descriptions to the way the tax lots look on the current tax map you should be able to see if there’s a discrepancy between the shape of the tax lot and the deed description. Beyond that, I’ve used Lovell & Belcher for property survey in Manhattan but they probably do Brooklyn as well.

Sheffey | 8 years and 2 months ago

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Thank you for your response and noted.. Will post when I get an update.

SoSlope | 8 years and 2 months ago

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Unfortunately, in the absence of any additional significant facts, you are going to have a very steep hill to climb. You acknowledge that the garage is not on your lot. I am not sure how a CofO would enable you to gain possession. The CofO is not part of the chain of title. Even if you could somehow use the CofO coupled with other documents to show that a previous owner of your property had gained possession of the land on which the garage sits through adverse possession many decades ago (and this would be extremely difficult), the fact that your neighbor has had possession for the last many years, coupled with the fact that it sits on their lot would almost certainly mitigate against this. I understand the dream,–we all have it–but I would expect that any attempt to enforce this claim against your neighbor would rapidly turn into a nightmare.

Sheffey | 8 years and 2 months ago

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Thank you all for your comments. The garage is not on my lot. It’s adjacent to my building set back maybe midway of my building. The C of O however is listed with my property and had my address. Also went to HUD office today and the DOB to pull any info they may have. After Sandy, a lot of plans/files were destroyed as told to me today. They are digging up info. I have to return in two weeks. FYI: if you want to look up plans, it takes that long for houses this old. I’m versed I. The subject of adverse possession. My nephew, who is an attorney has stated that the intruder has the burden of proof of ownership. I’m just getting my ducks in a row just in case. A brownstone with a garage…amazing! If it’s meant to be, it will be mine. Thank you again.

murph | 8 years and 2 months ago

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Look at your certified lot survey. Should be with your deed.
If it’s on your building lot then it’s your problem.
You took out title insurance when you bought/refinanced? Get on to them. Time for them to earn their money.
The State voted out ‘adverse possession’ when Paterson was governor. The City was tired of taking hits from claims on public property.
Get this cleared up. My brother is being bugged by a neighbor who’s claiming all the nearby garages are responsible for water in his cellar.
These small things can come back and bite you in the pocket.

johnbk | 8 years and 2 months ago

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It might have been part of your property and then sold at a later date. If this does end up in a court room, familiarize yourself with term “adverse possession”.

That said, you got a survey when you bought your house, did they not verify the property lines? Generally speaking you get what you agreed to pay for in the survey of the property. Unless you have a copy of their survey that does not show the garage on it, it is unlikely you will do anything except anger neighbors.

EJR | 8 years and 2 months ago

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I assume there is another interested party here who currently thinks he or she owns the garage. Be prepared for a messy discussion, and potentially costly litigation.

jodie1028 | 8 years and 2 months ago

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I love this post. I want to live vicariously through you. Let us know what you find.

cate | 8 years and 2 months ago

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Is this like a dream where you discover an extra room in your house, only it’s a whole extra building!? I don’t know about whether title companies specialize in this, but wouldn’t the property and deed records for your property as well as the garage next door be in the Department of Finance….unless they were lost, of course. Does the garage have an address or lot number? You could look up the title history of the property. Perhaps it was sold at some point. Very interested to hear what you find out!