A company in California has been soliciting Iowans for its services to obtain copies of property deeds. Chris Hoegh, owner of Marion County Title Services in Knoxville and Pella, says once a real estate transaction has been recorded by the county, a copy of a property deed is no longer needed by the owner. Hoegh says the practice of private companies charging people to send them a copy of the document is legal, but is ethically questionable, as those documents are available through the county recorder’s office for a few dollars or less. The operation out of California, which has a Des Moines mailing address, sends people a notice asking if they have a copy of their property deed, and offers to supply one for a cost of $87.

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