Find External Properties and Businesses

None of the fields included on the Find External Properties and Businesses page are required, however, the fewer number of fields completed, the longer the results list may be. The results display the first 100 records matched.

In order to return search results as quickly as possible, we limit the number of records displayed to the first 100 - the order is based on the confidence rating, going from the highest to the lowest. If your search turns up more than 100 returns, change your search criteria to better filter the results. For example, if you entered just the Last name and state information for your first search, consider adding a first name or a city and rerunning the search.

By default, Find External Properties and Businesses matches search fields exactly. For example, if you enter “Jo” in the First name field, the search looks for first names spelled “Jo.” It does not consider Joe, or Joseph, or John as would the search functionality in other areas of the application.

You can, however, use the * wildcard character when you are unsure of exact spelling. For example, you can enter “Jo*” or “Joh*” in the First name field and expect the search to include Joe/Joseph or John. In the address fields, use the * to designate a “like” statement. For example, 211* returns 211 San Remo Circle, 2110 San Remo Circle, 211 Main Street, 2110 First Street, and so on. 21*1* returns 211 Park Ave., 21541 Second Street, 2101 Water Street, and so on.

Warning: Searching with wildcards may result in longer processing time.

Find External Properties and Businesses returns records arranged based on confidence levels going from highest confidence to lowest, and it continues to return records until matches no longer exist or it reaches the 100 record return limit.

The search first queries all records that match all fields sent in the search.

Then, based on a field ranking system, the search attempts to partially match records by dropping a field from the search that it considers least helpful in getting the best record back.

Field Ranking Order for Real Estate Search Results

1. Address

2. ZIP

3. City

4. State

5. Last Name

6. First Name/Nickname

7. Company Name

   • If information is entered in this field, and a Last Name and/or First Name/Nickname is also entered the application uses the company name in only the Business Ownership search.

   • If information is entered in this field, and no Last Name or First Name/Nickname is entered, the Company Name is also used to search against the Last name field in the Real Estate portion of the search.

8. Unit (used in real estate searches only)

Field Ranking Order for Business Search Results

1. Last Name

2. First Name/Nickname

3. Company Name

   • If information is entered in this field, and a Last Name and/or First Name/Nickname is also entered the application uses the company name in only the Business Ownership search.

   • If information is entered in this field, and no Last Name or First Name/Nickname is entered, the Company Name is also used to search against the Last name field in the Real Estate portion of the search.

4. State

5. City

6. ZIP

7. Address

8. Phone number (used in business ownership searches only)

   • Three characters or less: the number is assumed to be an area code, and the system attempts to match against area code. For one or two characters, a * wildcard is assumed.

   • Four to seven characters: the number is assumed to be the main phone number (not the area code). For between four and six characters, a * wildcard is assumed.

   • Greater than seven characters: first three numbers are assumed to be the area code, with the remaining numbers used to match against the main phone number. For example if you enter nine numbers, the first three are broken out as the area code and the next six are used to create the rest of the phone number with a wildcard in the seventh slot (123456789 = (123) 456-789*).

   • If numbers are entered within parenthesis ( ): the system assumes these numbers are the area code. So with a (123)456 entry, even though it contains six numbers, the system identifies 123 as the area code and 456 as the first three digits of the main phone number.

   • Area code and next three numbers or area code and last four numbers: Wild card characters can be used in place of the unknown numbers. For example, if you know the area code and the next three numbers, but you do not know the remaining four numbers, you can enter “843765****” in your search. If you know the area code and the last four numbers, but you do not know the three middle numbers, you can enter “843***1000” in your search.