Due diligence for Ann Arbor and Dexter home buyers.
Use the parcel number to confirm the municipality, taxes, permits, school assignment, and public records for the property. Schedule the relevant inspections and complete each review within the deadlines in the purchase agreement.
A five-part review for each property.
The work will vary by property type, condition, intended use, financing, and insurance requirements. The purchase agreement sets the deadlines.
- 01
Confirm the parcel and municipality
Record the parcel number and the responsible city, village, or township. Use that information for the assessment and permit search.
- 02
Record every contract deadline
Track the dates for inspections, association documents, financing, appraisal, title, and any other contingency in the signed agreement.
- 03
Estimate the ownership cost
Include taxes after transfer, insurance, association charges, utilities, private-system maintenance, principal, and interest.
- 04
Compare the records with the home
Check the assessment, advertised improvements, permits, disclosures, title work, and association records against the property's current condition.
- 05
Resolve important questions
Record each open issue, who can answer it, the applicable deadline, and its effect on cost, use, financing, insurance, or the purchase decision.
Property records and due diligence.
Open a guide to see which records to request, where to find them, and when to contact a licensed professional.
Property records and ongoing ownership costs
Review the assessment, permits, school assignment, association documents, and likely ownership costs.
Property Assessment
Review the assessed value, state equalized value, taxable value, property record, and estimated taxes after transfer.
Open the guide →Building Permits
Check additions and major improvements against permits, inspections, final approvals, and the records held by the responsible municipality.
Open the guide →School Assignment and Data
Confirm the assigned district and attendance area with official sources, then review the programs and data important to you.
Open the guide →HOA and Condo Documents
Review governing documents, budgets, reserves, insurance, assessments, minutes, restrictions, and owner maintenance obligations.
Open the guide →Boundaries, easements, and legal access
Compare the deed, plat, title work, easement documents, and any survey available for the property.
Property Lines
Review parcel maps, plats, deeds, and any existing survey. Hire a licensed Michigan surveyor when the exact boundary matters.
Open the guide →Easements
Read the recorded document and compare it with the survey before relying on shared access, a driveway, or a mapped easement.
Open the guide →Land Surveys
Ask a licensed surveyor which survey is appropriate for the boundary, improvement, access, or title question.
Open the guide →Flood risk, basement water, and private systems
Review flood maps, disclosures, repair records, sump equipment, and any private well or septic system.
Flood Zone
Check the current FEMA map, any map revisions, the building location, lender requirements, and available insurance quotes.
Open the guide →Basement Water and Sump Pumps
Review disclosure and repair records, inspect for water entry, test the sump equipment, and check the discharge route.
Open the guide →Septic Systems
Request county records, arrange an inspection, and budget for maintenance or repairs when a home uses a septic system.
Open the guide →Soils, wetlands, and buildable land
Confirm zoning, soils, wetlands, setbacks, access, utilities, and the proposed building area.
Perc Tests and Soil Evaluations
Review the soil evaluation, approved site plan, septic design, replacement area, and permit requirements.
Open the guide →Wetlands and Buildable Land
Review state wetland mapping, zoning, setbacks, access, utilities, and site conditions before planning construction.
Open the guide →Where to confirm each property detail.
Maps, disclosures, inspections, and listing information answer different questions. Use the record or professional responsible for the fact you need to confirm.
| Question | Start with | Detailed guide |
|---|---|---|
| Which jurisdiction and tax record apply? | Parcel record and the responsible assessor | Property assessment |
| Does visible work match municipal records? | The city, village, or township permit file | Building permits |
| Where are the boundaries and recorded property rights? | Deed, plat, title material, easement instruments, then a survey when exact location matters | Boundaries, easements, and surveys |
| What is known about water risk or private systems? | FEMA mapping, disclosures, county environmental-health records, and qualified inspection | Flood, basement water, and septic |
| What does the association require and fund? | Recorded governing documents plus current financial, insurance, meeting, and property-status records | HOA and condo documents |
Buyer calculators and address tools.
Check a school district, compare property-tax assumptions, and estimate a monthly housing payment.
Find the assigned school district
Compare an exact address with official boundary sources and prepare the questions that still need district confirmation.
Check an address →Compare property-tax scenarios
Test different taxable-value and millage assumptions instead of carrying the seller's current bill into your future budget.
Compare taxes →Estimate the complete payment
Combine loan assumptions with taxes, insurance, association dues, and other recurring housing costs.
Estimate the payment →