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For transactional real-estate counsel and paralegals

A sourced public-record file to start municipal and document review.

See ACRIS recorded-document metadata with parties by recorded role, DOB NOW filings, HPD violations, and lot facts, each with its source, record key, and retrieval date. Save it as a dated brief for the file.

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The problem

Where the time goes today

Pre-contract review needs a quick read

Before formal searches come back, counsel wants to know whether open violations or active filings should be raised in the contract or rider.

The file must show what was checked

A record of which sources were checked, what they returned, and when is as important as the records themselves.

Recorded parties are not owners

ACRIS records a party's role on a document. Treating that as current ownership is a conclusion the record does not support.

A working session

How real-estate attorneys use LotContext

  1. 1

    Confirm the lot

    Confirm the BBL, especially for condominium billing lots and units, before reading records.

  2. 2

    Review the document trail

    In the workspace, list ACRIS documents by type and recorded date, with parties shown by recorded role.

  3. 3

    Identify municipal items to raise

    Note open HPD violations and in-progress DOB NOW filings to address in the contract or rider.

  4. 4

    Save a dated brief

    Keep the snapshot, including sources that returned nothing or were unavailable, in the matter file.

  5. 5

    Order formal searches

    Use title and municipal search providers as usual. LotContext helps you start sooner. It does not replace them.

Try it on a real property

Worked example

See a dated research example with DOB NOW filings, permits, recorded documents, and the coverage limits stated next to each source.

Explore the sample report →

Available now

What you get, and where it comes from

Sources and freshness

LotContext reuses recently collected evidence and collects new or stale properties when you request records. Each source retains its retrieval time. Catalog publication dates below describe the dataset's latest publication in LotContext, not freshness for every property. Check the source status and timestamps in your own report.

Public-record sources and freshness
Source Publisher updates Latest LotContext publication
Primary Land Use Tax Lot Output (PLUTO)

Department of City Planning (DCP)

 Quarterly Oct 17, 2026
Digital Tax Map: Tax Lot Polygons

Department of Finance (DOF)

 Weekly publication Oct 12, 2026
HPD Housing Maintenance Code Violations

Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD)

 Daily Oct 12, 2026
DOB NOW: Build – Job Application Filings

Department of Buildings (DOB)

 Daily Oct 21, 2026
DOB NOW: Build – Approved Permits

Department of Buildings (DOB)

 Daily Oct 12, 2026
ACRIS Recorded Documents (master, legals, parties, codes)

Department of Finance (DOF)

 Monthly publication Oct 21, 2026

Plainly stated

What LotContext does not do

  • This is not a title search, a municipal search, or legal advice.
  • There are no deed images, and no lien, judgment, UCC, or tax data.
  • LotContext never infers ownership from recorded parties.

LotContext is research support from public records. It is not legal, title, engineering, or municipal advice, and missing records do not prove compliance or safety. See the methodology.

Questions

Common questions

Can a LotContext brief replace a municipal search?
No. It is research support for an earlier, faster first read. Order formal searches as usual.
Are party names shown?
In the signed-in workspace, ACRIS parties appear with their recorded role. Public property pages do not show party names.
Can I document which sources were unavailable?
Yes. Every report records each source's status and retrieval time, including failures.

Run your next property through LotContext.

Start free, or tell us about your team's workload and we will walk through a property you choose.

Request a demo Explore the sample report

Related guides

Other professions: Brokers and agentsProperty managersArchitects and expeditersInvestorsDevelopers and builders

Reviewed Oct 15, 2026.