Press release from Buncombe County:
What started as a public information request led to a data-heavy dashboard the public can now utilize to see who owns property in Buncombe County. “This allows for citizens to see if the land owners surrounding them are people who live in the county, live in another state, or if the property is owned by a corporation,” says Buncombe County Register of Deeds Drew Reisinger. “Previously, the only way to learn who owned property was to look at the individual parcels.”The newly available dashboard will be helpful for residents, elected officials, business owners and others in need of property ownership records. “This dashboard is designed to help those who need a deeper understanding of the community around them,” explains Reisinger. “Using the dashboard could allow a business owner to know more about the clientele in the area. County and town leaders can learn more about their citizens and the information to better understand the challenges surrounding affordable housing issues in our community.”
Within the dashboard, you can search for a specific parcel or select a range of properties to see what is owned by county residents, North Carolina residents, out-of-state owners and corporations. You can also see where out-of-state property owners are located with help of a pie chart. The parcel dashboard also utilizes live data, so when records are added, it is automatically updated.
This project originated as a public records request and highlights how public input and department collaboration can lead to new tools and increased access to information. The dashboard relies heavily on the Tax Assessor’s data and technical support from GIS. After those pieces were in place, Deputy Register of Deeds Miranda Stewart pulled compiled information and made it a functional, user-friendly dashboard. “As public servants, it’s always our goal to help those in our community with technological advances. With departmental collaboration, this becomes easier to do,” notes Stewart. “This dashboard maps out existing public data in a much more accessible way that makes it easier to understand.”
If you have additional questions about the parcel ownership dashboard, contact the Register of Deeds office at (828) 250-4302.
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