Know when a DC property record changes

We check the DC Recorder of Deeds every week and email you when a deed, loan or lien is filed.

Deedwatch property page for a sample property, 100 Sample St NW: square and lot, owner of record, last sale, assessed value and a map of the lot, with the owner's contact details below. — Sample property, made-up records, shown in the real app.

An email only when something new is filed

The first check is your starting point. The history waits on the property page, and your inbox stays quiet until the next filing.

AddType a DC address, or a square and lot.
CheckEvery week the Recorder of Deeds is searched for that lot.
HearA new document sends an email with its type, the parties and a link to the source.

Alert email: 1 new document recorded on 100 Sample St NW. A financing statement, lien notice, filed October 8, 2026 from Sample Holdings LLC to First Example Bank, with a link to open it in Deedwatch. — Sample property, made-up records.

Filings in plain words

The Recorder files under legal names. Deedwatch adds a plain label to each one, so you can read a property's history without a glossary.

Recorder filing types and the label Deedwatch gives them
Recorded as	Deedwatch label	What it means
DEED	Ownership transfer	The property changed hands. The grantee is the new owner of record.
DEED OF TRUST	Loan	A loan secured by the property was recorded.
TRUST ASSIGNMENT	Loan transferred	The loan was assigned to another lender.
CERTIFICATE OF SATISFACTION	Released	A loan or lien was marked paid off or released.
FINANCING STATEMENT	Lien notice	A lender's claim on business assets or fixtures, and the filings that keep it in force.
SUBORDINATION	Lien priority	A lender agreed to rank behind another lender.
LEASE, COVENANT, EASEMENT	Agreement	Terms that affect how the property can be used.

The whole record on one page

Every watched property has its own page, so its history is there before the first email arrives.

The documents section of a sample property: a summary of the last ownership transfer and the latest filing, then a table of six recorded documents with plain labels such as Ownership transfer, Loan, Released and Lien notice.

Sample property, made-up records.

Owner of record: The owner's name, the last sale price and date, and the assessed value, from the DC tax roll.
Every filing: Newest first, with its plain label, the parties, the date and a link to the source.
A map of the lot: The District's own basemap with the lot marked.
Company owners: The owner's website, people to contact with a checked work email, and recent news. Private owners are never looked up.

What Deedwatch does and does not do

Filings come from the DC Recorder of Deeds. Owner, sale and assessed value come from the Office of Tax and Revenue. The map comes from DC GIS. Contact details for company owners come from public company information and business directories.

Checks run weekly. A deed is often recorded days after the sale closes, so alerts follow the record, which lags the deal.
Washington, DC only. Other cities are not covered.
Public records can be wrong. Check the linked source before you rely on a detail.
No predictions. It does not tell you who will sell, and it is not legal advice.
Independent. Deedwatch is not affiliated with the District of Columbia.

Questions

What are a square and a lot?

DC identifies every parcel by a square, roughly a city block, and a lot number. The Recorder of Deeds indexes documents this way and cannot search by address. Deedwatch finds them from the address, and you can also enter them yourself.

How often is a property checked?

Once a week, and you can run a check yourself from the app at any time.

Will I get emails about old documents?

No. The history is on the property page as soon as you add it. Emails are sent only for documents recorded after that first check.

Can I watch more than one property?

Yes. Add as many addresses as you need and see them on one page, each with its status.

Does it work outside DC?