

Online real estate searches from county tax collector offices, such as this one from Palm Beach County, can offer insights into property holdings, marrital status, and whether taxes have been paid.

Inspect a date's property holdings and taxes in Florida counties

Tax collectors aren't always popular, but those in Florida can aid your research about your date.

Many county tax collector offices offer searchable databases that can provide insights on whether someone is married, how much in property taxes they pay, and whether they owe back property taxes. The databases typically allow for searches by name and property address. Search options can include one year or several depending on the county.

You can see the names on a tax bill and, in many cases, whether someone has been paying their taxes. But databases will vary on whether you can see delinquent taxes, and some counties suspend their search capabilities during some months of the year while they update individual property tax information. Some county databases are accessible by clicking on a search link on the left- or right-hand side of the county's Web page. Note that you may be asked to agree to a disclaimer, and many of these databases will be updated constantly.

Keep in mind that you can still get the tax info you seek if it isn't online. Your local county tax collector's office will either have a terminal where you can do the searching yourself or can assist you in obtaining the information.

One of the exemptions to look out for is a homestead exemption. Property owners in Florida can only legally claim one for their place of residence. So a homestead exemption most likely means that's where the person calls home. People who own homes but rent them can't claim the exemption.