Overview
Accurate property taxes are essential for calculating precise debt-to-income ratios and preventing surprises for your clients at closing. Deal Details connects to four national data providers to automatically pull tax information. When those sources have gaps, the system equips you with the county name, parcel ID, and owner information so you can locate the correct data in minutes rather than hunting through county records blindly.
Before You Start
Requirement | Details |
Property card created | The property must already be entered in Deal Details |
Internet access | You may need to visit county assessor websites |
Property address confirmed | Verify the address is entered correctly to ensure accurate data retrieval |
How Automatic Tax Data Retrieval Works
Deal Details uses a cascading system of four national data providers that work behind the scenes when you create a property card:
Step | What Happens |
Provider 1 | System queries first national database |
Provider 2 | If first fails, system tries second provider |
Provider 3 | Continues cascade to third provider |
Provider 4 | Final attempt with fourth data source |
If all four providers return incomplete data, Deal Details gives you the tools to manually look up the information.
Step-by-Step: Finding Property Tax Data Manually
When automatic retrieval does not return property tax information, use these three data points Deal Details provides:
1. Locate the County Name
Open the property card
Find the county name displayed in parentheses next to the property address
This tells you exactly which county assessor website to search
2. Use the Parcel ID
Look for the parcel ID field on the property card
Copy this number exactly as shown
Enter the parcel ID on the county assessor's search page for a direct match
⚠️ Important: Parcel ID formats vary by county. Copy the entire string including any dashes or special characters to ensure the search works correctly.
3. Search by Owner Name (Backup Method)
Check the mortgage information section on the property card
Note the current owner's last name
Use this as an alternate search term if address or parcel ID searches fail
Search Method | When to Use |
Parcel ID | First choice when available; most accurate |
Property Address | Standard search on most county sites |
Owner Last Name | Backup when other methods return no results |
Understanding the Data Sources
What Deal Details Retrieves Automatically
Data Point | Source |
Property tax amount | National data providers (cascading system) |
County name | Address validation service |
Parcel ID | Public records databases |
Mortgage/owner information | Title and public records |
When Manual Lookup Is Needed
Manual lookup may be required when:
The property is newly constructed
Recent transfers have not been recorded
Rural properties with limited data coverage
Counties with delayed digital record updates
Finishing Up
1. Enter the Tax Amount
Once you locate the annual property tax amount, enter it in the appropriate field on the property card
Verify the amount reflects current year assessments
2. Double-Check Your Calculations
Confirm the monthly tax amount calculates correctly
Review the impact on the debt-to-income ratio
Save the property card
Quick Reference
Property card missing taxes → Check county name → Copy parcel ID → Search county site → Enter tax amount manually
Tips for Success
Bookmark frequently used county sites—if you work in specific markets, save the assessor search pages for quick access
Watch for spelling variations—owner names in public records may have minor differences from what your client provides
Check for supplemental taxes—some counties assess additional taxes that may not appear in the base amount
Verify the tax year—make sure you are pulling current year figures, not prior year assessments
Screenshot your source—keep a record of where you found the tax data in case questions arise later
Related Topics
Setting Up Property Cards
Understanding Debt-to-Income Calculations
Working with Escrow Accounts
Verifying Homeowners Insurance Data