I'm a licensed banker in Illinois and would be happy to answer your questions if you give me a call at 312-738-8503. Thank you.

Abby,

Go to http://www.ccrd.info/CCRD/il031/index.jsp and enter the P.I.N #. If you don't have the P.I.N number, visit the online tools tab at http://www.cookcountyassessor.com and search for the P.I.N number via address. This will give you what you're looking for.

Good luck, Ken.

abby - this is regarding the second part of your question "I would like this info to calculate a good offer" - make your offer based on current conditions for the subject property. What they secured a mortgage for has little, to nothing to do with its value today. It may be relevent to their motivation to sell, but should not be a guage for what it is worth today.

Check out my post on my blog about snooping public records in Cook County and Chicago.

Abby

Check the County web site. Clerk of the court should have public records. Mortgages and Mortgage Notes are public record.

Thanks, Cathy. Could you be more specific? I have found the tax amounts, etc. but haven't been able to locate any mortgage amounts/notes. Whose office's site it is? Assessors? Treasurers? SOS? Thanks!

Abby,

What Cathy said is correct, BUT what it won't show is a home equity loan/2nd mortgage. This is where you will find difficulty determining whether or not the seller is "upside down" or not.

County property tax records will have the amount and date of the original mortgage. If the sales price is not listed the homeowners name should be. Search the public records data base for the county for the homeowner's mortgage and note.