In the four days since deeds became available for purchase online, her office has already sold 130, Cass County Clerk-Register Barbara Runyon reported to the Board of Commissioners Thursday night.
“Now, rather than come into the office to purchase a copy, you’re able to from your home on a computer. It’s $1 a page, just like we charge here” at the 1899 courthouse, she said.
“There’s a 25-cent service fee if you use a credit card. With this system, we have prepaid house accounts set up in advance, which a lot of banks and title companies use. They can do their record searches online and draw down their house account from the comfort of their office.”
Runyon said, “It should be a good service to the public rather than making a trip in.
“It should also save the county some money by not having everyone use our printing equipment. My goal is, right now we’re online with 1993 forward, to get more back images (scanned). I’d like to send out an RFP (request for proposals). Fortunately, we have a pretty decent (balance in the) automation fund of close to $100,000. Ideally, a search should be 40 years. When I can offer that to the public, it’s just going to get better and better.”
To purchase images, log on to the county Web site, casscountymi.org, and click on recorded documents on the left side of the home page.
“You can set up your own account or a house account,” Runyon advised. “Eventually, when word gets out, I expect the general public to purchase, too, because we get people from out of state who want a copy of their recorded deed because they’re not sure if they own this or that. They can go online now and do their own searches.”