How to get plat maps????

[New Orleans Guy]

I have a new client who wants to switch over to using me as his appraiser but he is used to having plat maps in all of his reports. I have done 500 appraisals and never had to put in plat maps before. The last appraiser put them in every report and I am sure he did not go to the courthouse for every appraisal. Does anyone know how to get plat maps online? There is one county/parish that has them online but I have no idea how to get them for the other areas besides the old fashioned way at the courthouse. I am in the New Orleans Metro area by the way, but I am sure like Marshall Swift for cost figures, there has to be some large company doing these too right?

John

 

[JTip]

Call me a newbie, but don't you need a plat map in your report to legally shows where the land is????

We purchace our county plat maps and are updated annually. They come in large 12" x 18" spiral bound books. Two thick monsters. I believe around $450 a year. I know up in Bethlehem where my buddy works, they have all that online for FREE. Not sure of a company that has that available...

 

[Don Clark]

Every market is different

No Shane, not everyone puts a plat map in an appraisal. I do if asked. That is what the line in the report is for, to show the dimensions.

Check with your local clerk of the court or assessor. Some areas have them on line. I deal in 8 independent cities in virginia, For 2 I have CD's with the plast on the CD's. 3 assessor's has them on line, another has the dimensions in the assessment data on about 90% of records. I still go to the court house occasionally. For the state of North carolina I have to go to the court house to get plat data.

 

[Mike Dzurick]

Plat Maps

Try county web sites. Many have plats. Cut and paste.

 

[Brian Weaver]

I don't know where you are...but I pay a fortune every year to Sidwell to cover my areas near Chicago. Maybe they cover yours.

http://www.sidwellmaps.com/

 

[Doug Wegener]

Dataquick has plat maps. I dont know about all areas.

 

[John McDonald]

plat maps

Try and find a petroleum land man. They typically have microfische for the parishes they work in. I don't think these are currently being produced but you might find an old set. Cost could be from almost nothing to very high.

 

[Ultraviolet]

Luckily, our local MLS is linked to First American and plats are available for several counties - even those counties that do not provide plats online through their websites.

For my primary county we're fortunate to have a ton of information online (even a link to check for building permits online).

Maybe your MLS has a similar function?

 

[Jerry Bone Jr]

John, run a Google search for the Louisiana GIS. Or check out http://lagic.lsu.edu/ .

 

[Kate]

If you were in NH I would tell you to bring your camera into the town hall when you go and take a picture of the map.

If this isn't one of the best examples of locational differences then I don't know what. In NH we all have to go to the town hall in most towns to get the town card, tax map, zoning maps and regulations. I know and work with plenty in Mass that very rarely have to go to the town hall for a job b/c everything is online.

Having everything online is a nice time saver but I honestly feel it take so much away. AVM's are easier when everything is online, and I would guess comp requests are more prevalent. Not that we don't get comp requests but if the town isn't online then it's a great excuse to say sorry no can do, can't verify a thing at my desk.

Not to get too off topic but I like that we have to go to the town hall. The new forms say we need to get our data from a disinterested third party. Who better than the assessors office. Assessors in my area are the most friendly and most willing to provide data then anyone else. Many of them that I know are also appraisers on the side so they know how valuable they are to us and are happy to help.