How do you find the past history of your house?

Find out about the past history of a home by checking with a local preservation officer, who can help find county archives, historical societies and state preservation trusts. Performing a deed trace can also yield information on a home's past owners. To ensure information is as accurate as possible, it's best to work backwards from the most current records.

Old city directories contain a property's former owners or tenants, and you can find these directories at local libraries and historical societies. Newspaper indexes are also good places to find information on a home. If the home is an especially high-profile one, there might be an entire article devoted to it.

Local experts might also be able to help you learn more about the history of a home. Such experts can take a look at the inside and outside of a home to determine the specific elements, casing details and motifs of a home. An expert may also be able to inform you as to when a home was built and if it was likely remodeled.

Closely examining the home's construction can also yield details on its history. For instance, the property's foundation can indicate whether the home was constructed all at one time. Other specific parts of a home to check for historic information include the joists and timbers.