For homeowners & appraisers
Property research resources
Find property records, maps and market data, with notes on how appraisers use each source and what to verify.
No matches. Try a county name, FEMA, broadband or GIS, or clear the filter to browse all links.
43 research tools and 22 Missouri county and city lookups. Public and professional-access tools are labeled.
Browse all resource categories
Open a resource to see what it provides and where to be careful. External links open in a new tab. Some tools require a subscription or charge for record copies.
Missouri lookup
Find your county’s records
Find records for Red Oak’s 21 covered counties and St. Louis City. The city and county of St. Louis have separate systems. For zoning or permit questions, check whether the county or municipality has authority over your address.
Show all 22 county and city lookups
- Audrain ↗
Assessor portal
- Boone ↗
County office
- Callaway ↗
Assessor portal
- Cooper ↗
County office
- Crawford ↗
County office
- Franklin ↗
Assessor portal
- Gasconade ↗
Assessor office
- Howard ↗
Official statewide office directory
- Jefferson ↗
County office
- Lincoln ↗
Assessor portal
- Montgomery ↗
Assessor portal
- Perry ↗
Assessor portal
- Pike ↗
Assessor portal
- Ralls ↗
Assessor portal
- Randolph ↗
Assessor portal
- Saint Charles ↗
County office
- Saint Francois ↗
Assessor portal
- Saint Louis County ↗
County property search
- Saint Louis City ↗
City property search
- Sainte Genevieve ↗
Assessor portal
- Warren ↗
Assessor portal
- Washington ↗
County government directory
Some links lead to third-party assessor portals. Howard uses the State Tax Commission’s official contact directory; Washington links to the county office directory. Online details and record-copy fees vary. Have the address and parcel number ready.
For a deed, plat or recorded easement, start with the recorder of deeds. Ask a title professional or attorney about ownership and property rights. Use the state office directories or NETR’s records directory to find the office.
Property records & ownership research
Start with the address and parcel number. The assessor describes property for taxation, the collector handles tax payments and the recorder keeps recorded documents.
Missouri State Tax Commission directoriesPublic · official
Statewide assessor and collector contact directories.
How appraisers use it: Find the right office when a record is missing or unclear. The office can explain when the record was updated, how the assessment was made and how to report an error.
What to check: An assessor estimates value for taxation; the collector handles tax bills and payments. An assessment is not automatically the value needed for a different date or purpose.
MissouriAssessors.comPublic · third-party directory
County links to assessor offices and property-data portals.
How appraisers use it: Find parcel details, building descriptions and assessments, then check important facts with the office that holds the record.
What to check: This is a directory/provider network, not the State Tax Commission. Online detail and availability vary by county.
NETR Online public-records directoryPublic directory · some services paid
Links to assessor, recorder and other public-record offices across the United States.
How appraisers use it: Find the source record for a parcel, transfer or recorded instrument when researching another jurisdiction.
What to check: A directory is not a title search. Record copies, subscriptions and searches may carry local fees.
Missouri Secretary of State business searchPublic · official
Business-entity search and filing information.
How appraisers use it: Check the exact name of a company or other entity named in a deed or appraisal request before seeking its property documents.
What to check: An entity registration does not prove that it owns a particular parcel, who may sign for it or which property rights are being appraised.
GIS, aerials & physical setting
Maps can show terrain, roads and changes over time. Check when the image or layer was created and what it represents before relying on it.
MSDIS Missouri GIS and imageryPublic · university/state resource
Missouri aerial imagery, elevation data and geospatial datasets.
How appraisers use it: Study terrain and changes visible in aerial imagery. Note the image date and dataset so the observation can be checked.
What to check: Map layers can differ in scale, accuracy and age. A visible feature is a research lead, not confirmation of its condition or legal status.
The Missouri MapPublic · interactive map
An MSDIS map interface for Missouri imagery and elevation resources.
How appraisers use it: Examine the site, slopes and surrounding land uses, then check those details when comparing properties.
What to check: Imagery dates matter. A roof outline does not establish finished living area, current completion or a surveyed boundary.
USGS The National MapPublic · official interactive map
National topographic, elevation and geographic map layers.
How appraisers use it: Examine slopes, drainage patterns and mapped access to identify questions that need closer investigation.
What to check: Elevation models and mapped roads do not establish drainage performance, legal access, engineering suitability or ownership.
Historic Aerials by NETR OnlinePublic viewer · paid imagery options
Historical aerial photographs and topographic imagery where available.
How appraisers use it: Compare dated aerial images to look for additions or land-use changes, especially when valuing a property as it existed in the past.
What to check: Images may be incomplete or unclear. Follow the provider’s licensing terms before downloading or reproducing them; an image alone does not prove permit status.
Census GeocoderPublic · official
Address-based geographic coordinates and Census geography assignments.
How appraisers use it: Find which Census area contains an address, so a statistical comparison uses the same geography as the property research.
What to check: A geocoded point is not a survey, parcel boundary or legal determination of jurisdiction. Check ambiguous and rural addresses.
St. Charles County GIS and public databasesPublic · county
County links to mapping, assessment and recorded-document systems.
How appraisers use it: Compare parcel identifiers, mapped physical context and available public records from the same jurisdiction.
What to check: Use the assessor for assessment questions and the recorder/title professional for recorded rights. Map lines are approximate.
Boone County GIS open dataPublic · county GIS
Boone County mapping and geographic-data resources.
How appraisers use it: Study the parcel and available map layers. Ask the relevant county department about details that conflict or remain unclear.
What to check: Read the layer description and update date. A missing map symbol or unchecked layer does not mean a use is permitted.
Jefferson County GIS applicationsPublic · county GIS
County property-viewer and mapping applications.
How appraisers use it: Research parcel location, imagery and available property layers; use the county’s instructions to interpret the selected layer.
What to check: A displayed zoning or parcel layer is a starting point. Confirm current requirements and boundary questions with the appropriate authority.
Zoning, historic places & Tribal lands
Check which office has authority over the property. A historic designation or land-status map can prompt further research, but the actual rights and restrictions need to be established.
Jefferson County zoning and review resourcesPublic · county
Planning, zoning and development-review information with property-map links.
How appraisers use it: Find the office and records that explain permitted uses, setbacks or a proposed change to the property.
What to check: A mailing address may be inside a municipality with its own authority. Get property-specific confirmation; a map does not grant approval.
National Register of Historic Places mapsPublic · National Park Service
Public spatial information for National Register-listed historic properties and districts.
How appraisers use it: Check whether a property may be listed, then read the supporting designation documents.
What to check: Public mapping may omit sensitive resources or have boundary limitations. National Register listing and local historic-district regulation are different matters.
National Register owner questionsPublic · National Park Service
Official explanations of listing, ownership and preservation questions.
How appraisers use it: Check what a federal listing means, then investigate any separate local rules or recorded restrictions affecting the property.
What to check: Listing alone does not impose the same restrictions as a local preservation ordinance. Confirm the applicable rule and any federal involvement with the responsible office.
Missouri historic-site GIS layerPublic · state GIS data
Missouri DNR’s National Register site data and map-service information.
How appraisers use it: Cross-check a possible Missouri listing and identify the dataset behind a map. Advanced GIS users can inspect its layers and metadata.
What to check: This is a GIS service rather than a simple address-search page. Confirm designation details and current local requirements with preservation/planning staff.
BIA Tribal-land GIS resourcesPublic · Bureau of Indian Affairs
Official links to BIA open GIS data, land maps and tract-viewing resources.
How appraisers use it: Identify land-status questions to take to the relevant Tribal government, BIA land-title office or qualified title or legal professional.
What to check: A public map does not resolve trust status, title, jurisdiction or transferable rights. Tribal identity and the identity of residents are not valuation adjustments.
Flood, soils, wetlands & protected areas
Use these maps to identify questions for further research. A map flag alone does not tell you whether a property has a defect or restriction, or how buyers respond to it.
FEMA Flood Map Service CenterPublic · official
Flood-hazard maps, studies and available map-change documents.
How appraisers use it: Locate the property on the effective flood map and check relevant map changes before describing its flood-zone setting.
What to check: A mapped zone is not a prediction for a specific building or an insurance quote. A lender or insurer may require its own determination.
USDA Web Soil SurveyPublic · official
Mapped soil information and published soil interpretations.
How appraisers use it: Examine mapped soils to identify questions about drainage, septic systems or site use that need further investigation.
What to check: Map-scale soil information is not a site-specific soil test, engineering report, septic approval or proof of buildability.
USFWS Wetlands MapperPublic · official
National Wetlands Inventory mapping and links to its viewer.
How appraisers use it: Look for mapped wetlands and investigate whether they affect usable land or require specialist review.
What to check: Mapped presence or absence does not establish a regulatory wetland boundary. A qualified delineation and agency determination may be needed.
USFWS IPaCPublic screening · some workflows need an account
Location-based information about species, habitat and other USFWS resources.
How appraisers use it: Identify possible species or habitat questions for a proposed project, then ask the relevant agency or specialist what further work is needed.
What to check: A screening result is not blanket project approval, a complete environmental assessment or a dollar adjustment.
USGS Protected Areas Database (PAD-US)Public · official
National protected-area information with data and map resources.
How appraisers use it: Learn what nearby protected land is and how it is managed when that information is relevant to the site or proposed use.
What to check: An inventory does not prove public access, resolve a recorded easement or establish the restriction on a particular private parcel.
EPA ECHOPublic · official
Environmental compliance and enforcement records for regulated facilities.
How appraisers use it: Find a facility’s actual compliance records before investigating a possible effect on surrounding property.
What to check: Proximity alone does not prove contamination, exposure or a value loss. Records need context and may require environmental expertise.
Missouri DNR E-StartPublic · state interactive map
Information about tracked remediation sites and available use-limitation records.
How appraisers use it: Read the site record and documented restrictions. Check whether a map point refers to the property being appraised or somewhere else.
What to check: A neighboring point does not prove the subject is affected. Obtain the underlying documents and specialist advice where material.
Internet, wells & septic
Check the service at the exact address. A map can suggest what is available; providers and property records help establish what actually serves the home and what it costs.
FCC National Broadband MapPublic · official interactive map
Provider-reported internet availability by location and technology.
How appraisers use it: Research internet options when connectivity matters to the property, then check service availability with the providers at that address.
What to check: Reported availability is not a speed test, installation guarantee or price quote. Ask about actual serviceability, equipment and installation costs.
Missouri well records and drilling resourcesPublic · state
Missouri DNR well information, records and drilling resources.
How appraisers use it: Find available well records and clarify the home’s water source when comparing utility arrangements.
What to check: A well record is not a current water-quality or yield test. Missing records do not prove that no well exists.
Missouri onsite wastewater resourcesPublic · state
Information and contacts for onsite wastewater systems and local authority.
How appraisers use it: Locate septic permits and records. Check which system serves the property and any reported limitations.
What to check: Permitting authority varies. An online record does not establish current system condition, capacity or compliance.
Mortgage rates, prices & market context
National statistics help explain the wider market. For an individual home, use evidence from the relevant area, property type and dates.
Freddie Mac mortgage-rate surveyPublic · primary data publisher
Weekly national mortgage-rate averages and historical information.
How appraisers use it: Compare financing conditions over time using the same published rate series.
What to check: A national average is not a personal loan quote or APR. Rate changes alone do not establish a local home-value adjustment.
FRED mortgage-rate historyPublic · Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
A chart and downloadable history of Freddie Mac’s 30-year mortgage-rate series.
How appraisers use it: Chart mortgage-rate history to explain financing conditions. Label the source, series and frequency.
What to check: This republishes the Freddie Mac series; it is not a second independent observation. Never confuse mortgage rates with appreciation rates.
FHFA House Price IndexPublic · official
House-price indexes, data and methodology for available geographic areas.
How appraisers use it: Study broad price changes, then check whether the index covers a useful area, period and group of homes for the appraisal.
What to check: An index does not appraise a home. Coverage, geography and methodology can differ from the subject’s competing market.
Census housing dataPublic · official
Published statistical tables, including housing stock, vacancy and tenure measures.
How appraisers use it: Describe relevant housing-market context while recording geography, period and margins of error for estimates.
What to check: Survey estimates are not parcel facts. Do not use protected-class composition or demographic proxies to rank neighborhoods or adjust values.
Census Building Permits SurveyPublic · official
Statistics on authorized residential construction.
How appraisers use it: Investigate how much residential construction has been authorized. Compare that with completed homes and inventory rather than treating them as the same count.
What to check: An authorization is not a completion or sale. Check the period, geography, units and methodology before comparing totals.
BLS local employment statisticsPublic · official
Local labor-force and unemployment statistics.
How appraisers use it: Examine employment conditions alongside local housing demand and sales. Investigate the connection instead of assuming one figure explains the other.
What to check: Economic context does not establish a property-specific premium or discount. Series may be revised and differ in seasonal treatment.
HUD Fair Market RentsPublic · official
Published rent benchmarks used in housing programs.
How appraisers use it: Check how a housing program defines its rent benchmark before comparing it with local rental evidence.
What to check: FMR is not the observed market rent for a particular house or ADU. A property-specific rent analysis needs suitable rental evidence.
MLS & professional research tools
The links explain each product. Using the underlying MLS or research system may require membership or a subscription, and its data may have limits on republication.
MARIS Matrix MLSProfessional · subscription/eligibility required
Regional MLS tools for authorized users; public product information is available.
How appraisers use it: Research listing and sale histories, then verify important facts such as condition, concessions and sale terms.
What to check: Public listing portals may omit fields or statuses. Follow MLS rules and licensing; do not publish restricted exports or assume a listing proves a closed sale.
MARIS MarketStats / InfoSparksProfessional · access varies
Local market-statistics tools available through the provider.
How appraisers use it: Compare market segments over time. Check sample counts, inventory and the definition of each measure.
What to check: A change in median price can reflect a change in the mix of sold homes. It is not automatically the appreciation rate of the subject.
Cotality RealistProfessional · subscription/provider access
Property intelligence and public-record research tools, formerly under the CoreLogic brand.
How appraisers use it: Cross-check parcel descriptions and transaction research against original records and other reliable sources.
What to check: Multiple products may share the same underlying records. Matching outputs do not necessarily provide independent verification.
Realtors Property Resource (RPR)Professional · member eligibility required
Property and market-research tools for eligible real estate professionals.
How appraisers use it: Research property and market information, then check the source, date and relevance of the data used in the appraisal.
What to check: An automated estimate or generated report is not a substitute for the analysis and scope required by an appraisal assignment.
ShowingTimeProfessional · subscription/provider access
Showing-management tools and provider information.
How appraisers use it: Review showing activity as market context while keeping it distinct from offers, contracts and closed sales.
What to check: Activity can provide context but does not prove a sale price or establish market value. Respect access restrictions and client privacy.
Appraisal standards & credential checks
Check the current source and which assignments it covers. Mortgage-program requirements may differ from the requirements for private work.
The Appraisal Foundation — USPAPPublic overview · some publications paid
Information about ethical and performance standards for appraisers.
How appraisers use it: Check the standards governing the research, analysis and reporting required for the appraisal.
What to check: An overview or article does not replace the applicable standards. This resource library is educational, not approved continuing education.
Fannie Mae Selling GuidePublic · mortgage-program policy
Current Fannie Mae policy and links to appraisal requirements and supplements.
How appraisers use it: Check the exact topic, effective date and applicable dataset before applying a mortgage-program requirement.
What to check: Fannie Mae rules are not universal rules for every private, court, tax or other appraisal. Use the UAD 3.6 supplement where applicable.
Freddie Mac Seller/Servicer GuidePublic · mortgage-program policy
Freddie Mac mortgage-program requirements and updates.
How appraisers use it: Check Freddie Mac’s requirement for the particular work, rather than assuming another program uses the same rule.
What to check: Check effective dates, assignment conditions and current bulletins. A lender can have additional requirements.
ASC appraiser national registriesPublic · official
National appraiser and appraisal-management-company registry resources.
How appraisers use it: Check a credential’s current record and ask the state regulator to explain any discrepancy.
What to check: A registry entry does not establish competency for every property or assignment. Confirm current scope and state requirements.
Make the research useful
How to turn the research into a useful conclusion
- Identify the property. Match the address, parcel number and relevant rights. A mailing city is not always the governing jurisdiction.
- Set the date. A current map or record may not describe a property on a past estate or divorce value date.
- Record the source. Note the publisher, dataset, effective date, retrieval date and what the selected layer means.
- Verify what matters. Resolve conflicting area figures, uncertain access or a possible restriction with appropriate records or specialists.
- Research the market. Find competing properties and sales that help explain how buyers respond to the feature you found.
- Explain the findings. Connect the evidence to the appraisal question and identify any important uncertainty.
Example: a home appears near a flood-zone boundary
Fictional example. The first task is to identify the actual parcel and map panel, then check the effective map and relevant map changes. An approximate aerial overlay cannot settle the building’s status.
If the flood information could affect the appraisal, obtain the relevant determination and compare properties with similar circumstances. The map alone does not set a discount, insurance premium or coverage requirement.
Example: the county and listing show different square footage
Fictional example. A listing shows 2,400 total finished square feet; a record shows 1,600 above grade. Check whether the difference is an 800-square-foot basement before calling it an error. Compare dates, sketches and categories, then verify unresolved differences.
Neither a total-area difference nor a sale’s overall price per square foot establishes an adjustment. Use the square-footage worksheet and example.
Example: the market’s median sale price rose
Fictional example. If one period includes more large, renovated homes than the previous period, its median can rise even without a matching increase for every property. Check sample counts, market segment, sale mix and dates.
Investigate whether the broad trend applies to the home’s competing market and dates. That evidence is needed to support a time adjustment. See how an appraisal adjustment is supported.
Copy this research-note template
- Question and property/parcel: __________
- Relevant value date: __________
- Publisher, source URL and dataset/layer: __________
- Record/map effective date and date checked: __________
- Fact observed and how it was verified: __________
- Conflict, uncertainty or specialist follow-up: __________
- Relevant market evidence and analytical limits: __________
Keep confidential client information and licensed datasets in the appropriate private workfile. Do not paste them into a public search or AI service without proper authorization and safeguards.
For more detail, read the acreage guide, ADU guide and desktop and hybrid guide.
Want a fuller explanation?
Search our guides for the appraisal question behind the records, such as an estate value date, an ADU or a square-footage difference.
Found a detail that needs a closer look?
Finding a conflicting record or an unusual map detail is a useful start. An appraisal checks the property evidence alongside comparable sales to answer your value question.
For a private residential appraisal in Red Oak’s Missouri service area, send the address and explain what you found. Include the reason for the appraisal and required date. Jacob will confirm the work, fee and expected timing before you order.
No payment to request a quote. Review the total fee and schedule before you order.
Editorial selection checked October 15, 2026. This library links to independent publishers; inclusion does not imply a partnership or access to their paid systems. It is educational, not a survey, title opinion, environmental assessment or a value opinion for your property. Research should address relevant property facts and supported market evidence, never protected-class identity or neighborhood stereotypes.
Found an outdated link or a factual issue? Email redoakval@gmail.com with the page URL and the specific resource. Keep confidential reports and client details out of the message until secure handling is agreed.