FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 28, 2003

CONTACT
Carmella Sabaugh, Macomb County Clerk – Register of Deeds (586-469-7939)
John Cook, Eastern Regional Manager, Seaver Title Company (586-907-3770)
Alan Polack Vice President, Macomb County Probate Bar Association (586-292-1585)
Kim Schmidt, President, First State Bank Mortgage Company (586-445-1033)

MACOMB COUNTY CLERK CARMELLA SABAUGH PUTS DEEDS ON INTERNET

Macomb County Clerk – Register of Deeds Carmella Sabaugh announced that public property records will be available on the Internet after September 1. Members of the public have 24-hour access to view or print their real estate documents from any computer connected to the Internet.

“I am proud of my record of using technology to help Macomb County residents,” said Sabaugh. “People refinancing a mortgage or buying or selling a home can now get instant access to their deeds and mortgage documents."

An index of Macomb County real estate records from 1981 forward will be on the Internet. Copies of deeds and other documents that were recorded after 1993 may be printed from the Internet. The cost for searching for and printing a deed from the Internet will be the same as the cost for obtaining a copy in the Register of Deeds office.

“As an attorney with a Macomb County estate planning practice, I can see Carmella Sabaugh’s new service will benefit the people of our county,” said Alan Polack, Vice President Macomb County Probate Bar Association. “Even before this new service, Sabaugh’s Register of Deeds has been processing deeds faster now.”

“County Clerk Carmella Sabaugh’s new service comes at a great time because we are processing a high volume of mortgage refinancing due to low interest rates,” said Kim Schmidt, President, First State Bank Mortgage Company, LLC. “Ms. Sabaugh’s new Register of Deeds service will help us more efficiently make capital available to county businesses and individuals. This technology will be a plus to us.”

Real estate information is public information. The Macomb County Register of Deeds keeps property records dating back to 1818.

“County Clerk Carmella Sabaugh’s new service has improved the property registration process and the document search and retrieval process,” said John Cook, Eastern Regional

Manager, Seaver Title Company. “In addition, real estate records are now being processed by Sabaugh’s Register of Deeds more quickly than they have ever been.”

To use the new service, log onto http://www.landaccess.com and follow the prompts to register. Payment is made via credit card, but high volume users can purchase an annual subscription and use an escrow account. Detailed cost information is available on the web site.

In 1995 the Macomb County Register of Deeds processed 329,007 pages. In 2002, the office handled 1,471,819 pages. Sabaugh was able to implement the system without spending county tax dollars. Fees paid by those using the system will cover the cost.

This use of technology is the latest improvement in a long line of successes by Sabaugh. As Macomb County Clerk – Register of Deeds, Sabaugh also:

• Was the first county clerk in Michigan to launch a toll-free 24-hour fax-on-demand system to provide forms and information. Call 1-888-99-CLERK. (1-888-992-5375)

• Was the first county clerk in Michigan to use computerized scanning and indexing for a register of deeds office.

• Was the first county clerk in Michigan to accept credit card payments for court filings and vital records.

• Was the first county clerk in Michigan to provide overnight delivery service for birth certificate requests and other vital records.

• Was the first county clerk in Michigan to provide assumed name business registrations and death records on the Internet.

• Started a Personal Protection Order Assistance Center to help victims of abuse.

• Enlisted local amateur radio operators as emergency backup to relay election results on election night.

• Ended favoritism by stopping the practice of giving real estate records to certain title companies at reduced fees.

• Ended “judge shopping” by computerizing judge selection when lawsuits are filed.

• Stopped cash payments from being made in courtrooms by requiring all payments to be made and logged through the clerk cashier window.

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