Document Guide
How to Get Your Mortgage Documents
To analyze your mortgage for potential robo-signing, broken chains of title, and other defects, you need copies of the documents recorded against your property. Here are the best ways to get them.
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County Recorder / Register of Deeds
Your county recorder's office has official copies of every document recorded against your property.
Documents Available
- ✓Deed of Trust / Mortgage
- ✓Assignments of Deed of Trust
- ✓Substitutions of Trustee
- ✓Notices of Default
- ✓Notices of Trustee Sale
- ✓Lis Pendens
- ✓Reconveyances
How To
- 1.Visit your county recorder's website — many offer free online search
- 2.Search by your name, property address, or parcel/APN number
- 3.Download or request copies (typically $1–$5 per page)
- 4.If no online portal, visit the office in person or call to request by mail
Tip: This is the single best source. Most counties have digitized records going back 20+ years. Search for ALL documents recorded against your property, not just the ones you recognize.
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Your Loan Servicer
Your servicer (the company you send payments to) is required by federal law to provide certain documents upon request.
Documents Available
- ✓Promissory Note (or copy)
- ✓Payment history
- ✓Escrow statements
- ✓Correspondence and notices
- ✓Loss mitigation documents
- ✓Modification agreements
How To
- 1.Send a Qualified Written Request (QWR) under RESPA Section 6
- 2.Address it to the servicer's designated address for qualified written requests (found on your statement)
- 3.Send via certified mail with return receipt requested
- 4.The servicer must acknowledge within 5 business days and respond within 30 business days
Tip: Under RESPA (12 U.S.C. 2605), your servicer must respond to a QWR. If they fail to respond, that itself may be a RESPA violation. MortgageDefender can generate a QWR for you after analysis.
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Your Own Files
You likely received copies of key documents at closing and throughout the life of your loan.
Documents Available
- ✓Original closing package (Deed of Trust, Note, HUD-1/Closing Disclosure)
- ✓Modification agreements
- ✓Forbearance agreements
- ✓Correspondence from servicer or lender
- ✓Foreclosure notices
- ✓Payment records and statements
How To
- 1.Check your physical files from the original home purchase
- 2.Search your email for correspondence from your servicer or lender
- 3.Check with your real estate agent or closing attorney — they may retain copies
- 4.Check with your title company — they keep records of the closing
Tip: Even old, partially illegible documents can be valuable. Our OCR technology can read scanned documents, photos, and even faxed copies.
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MERS (Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems)
If your mortgage was registered with MERS, you can look up transfer history online.
Documents Available
- ✓MERS registration status
- ✓Current servicer information
- ✓Investor (note holder) information
- ✓MIN (Mortgage Identification Number)
How To
- 1.Visit mers-servicerid.org
- 2.Enter your MIN number (18-digit number found on your Deed of Trust)
- 3.Or search by your Social Security Number + property address
- 4.The system will show the current servicer and investor of record
Tip: Compare what MERS shows against your recorded documents. Discrepancies between MERS records and county recordings can indicate chain of title issues.
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SEC EDGAR (For Securitized Loans)
If your loan was placed into a mortgage-backed securities trust, the trust documents are publicly available.
Documents Available
- ✓Pooling and Servicing Agreement (PSA)
- ✓Prospectus Supplement
- ✓Trust closing date
- ✓Loan transfer deadlines
How To
- 1.Visit sec.gov/cgi-bin/browse-edgar
- 2.Search for the trust name (found on your assignment documents)
- 3.Look for 424B5 (Prospectus Supplement) or 8-K filings
- 4.The PSA contains the rules for how loans were supposed to be transferred into the trust
Tip: MortgageDefender automatically checks SEC EDGAR for trust information when a securitization trust is detected in your documents. Late transfers to a trust (after the closing date) may be void under New York trust law.
What Should I Upload?
Upload everything you have. Our system works best with more documents — it cross-references dates, entities, and signatures across your entire file to detect potential robo-signing, timing anomalies, and chain of title breaks.
Most Important
- • Deed of Trust / Mortgage
- • All Assignments of Deed of Trust
- • Promissory Note
Also Valuable
- • Notices of Default / Trustee Sale
- • Modification Agreements
- • Servicer Correspondence
- • Substitutions of Trustee
Free analysis for up to 3 documents. No credit card required.