Sara Bonert, Market Manager at Zillow.Com, passed along a story to me about a Chicago area deed service which provides certified copies of deeds. The story is available on InmanNews, if you have a subscription. Bloggers and news sites such as the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel have been writing about this deed service since at least 2005. The main issue raised is the fee charged by the company.
Normally, home owners get a copy of their deed after it is recorded by the county recorder, but let’s say you can’t find your real estate deed and want a copy. Here are links to Chicago area county recording offices which can provide you a copy of your deed:
Getting a copy of a deed yourself is not only cheaper than using a service, but you’ll probably get much faster service.
Fran Bailey specializes in downtown Chicago, Lincoln Park and Lake View condos, co-op apartments and houses. She has shared home buying and selling advice since 2006 and written about over 130 Chicago high rises. To schedule showings for any listings, get a 
