New Free Service Helps Newport News Homeowners Monitor Property Records

A new free service is available to help Newport News property owners monitor activity in their land records and identify potential signs of property fraud.

VA Deed Alert is a statewide notification service developed by the Office of the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court of Virginia. The service helps property owners stay informed about activity involving their property records by sending email notifications when documents are recorded that match their registered information.

Property fraud, often referred to as deed fraud, is one of the fastest-growing property crimes in the nation. Criminals may attempt to use public records to file fraudulent documents that affect property ownership without a homeowner’s knowledge. While VA Deed Alert does not prevent documents from being recorded or determine whether a filing is legitimate, it provides an additional layer of awareness by notifying property owners when activity matching their registered information appears in local land records.

The service sends email notifications whenever a document is recorded that matches a registered name, business name or Tax Map/Parcel ID number. These alerts can provide early awareness of land record activity and help property owners respond more quickly if something appears suspicious.

Enrollment is free and takes only a few minutes to complete online. Property owners need only a valid email address to register. Users can monitor multiple names, business names and parcel identification numbers, making it easy to track all properties they wish to follow.