How to Find Subdivision Amenities in Register of Deeds Records

To verify the rules regarding what is allowed and what is not allowed in the subdivision, or what amenities are legally promised, funded, and protected, look at the subdivision's recorded legal documents. You can search these online through the Register of Deeds public search portal.

• Restrictive Covenants
  Search for the "Covenant/Restricted Covenants." This document details the subdivision's rules and regulations along with the HOA's responsibilities to maintain common areas, pools, and clubhouses, and outlines who has the right to use them.
  
  
• Recorded Plat Maps
  You can search the plat maps by subdivision name. The official map will visually show the designated "Common Areas," "Open Space," "Recreation Areas," or specific amenity lots.

How to Search the Covenants

Covenants could fall under multiple document types, but for the most part, they will be COVENANT/RESTRICTED COVENANTS.  If you can't find what you need under COVENANT/RESTRICTED COVENANTS, then check DECLARATION, AGREEMENT, and SEE INSTRUMENT to be thorough.

There are four doctypes for covenants: 

• COVENANT/RESTRICTED COVENANTS
• DECLARATION
• AGREEMENT
• SEE INSTRUMENT

First make sure that "Search All Document Types" is not checked.  If it is checked it will not hurt anything, but it could make a huge difference in the amount of search results.  If it's checked, there might be 10,000 documents.  If the box is unchecked, and the four covenant doctypes mentioned above are selected, the results may be reduced to 10 to 20 documents.

1. To select the document types one at a time, press and hold the CTRL key, then select each one.
2. Select "Non-Human" under the "Is Human."   This will lock out the "Surname" field, and allow typing in the "First Name" field only.
3. In the "First Name" field, type the name of the subdivision
4. You can limit the results by "Recording Date."   If you know it's a new subdivision, it is better to use dates for filtering, but dates are not necessary.
5. Click the "Search" button.

Search Results Example

The example search returned three results:

1. COVENANT/RESTRICTED COVENANTS (showin in the yellow box)
2. SEE INSTRUMENT (indicated by a yellow box with a red border)*   
   *Note:  In this case, the two SEE INSTRUMENT documents are actually relevant.  The majority of the time, this will not be the case.

 

Please contact the Register of Deeds Office for more information, or assistance with using the records portal.

Thank you for your interest in Johnston County!