Having an address without a name can be like having coffee beans without water: it is the combination of both ingredients that gives you what you really want.

If all you have is an address and no name to go with it, you may want to know either who lives at this address, or who owns this property. Fortunately, there are tools available that can make finding out the answer fairly easy.

Use one of the free reverse address lookup tools available online, such as the White Pages Reverse Address tool (see Resources). Enter each part of the address in the appropriate field box, then click "Find." If the business or resident occupying the address has opted to be listed in the local Directory, this search should reveal the name of the primary occupant of the address. If the resident has an unlisted phone number and address, this method will not yield successful results.

Find the local tax assessment office website of the city or town where the address is located, or the registry of deeds. These websites often offer free general public access to their property records databases. Enter each part of the address in the appropriate field box, then click the designated search button. The result returned will list the name of the owner of the property. Bear in mind, however, that the owner of a particular property does not always reside at the address. If you're looking to learn who actually occupies the property, you will need a different strategy.

Engage in a little private investigation work by looking up a neighbouring address. If one of the neighbouring addresses is listed on the tax assessor's website, try contacting the neighbour by phone to see if he would be willing to tell you who occupies the place next door. Another tactic, if you live locally to the address, is to physically visit the address yourself and look for a name on the doorbell.

Hire a private investigator. This is a measure of absolute last resort because it's costly. If you have exhausted all other means of obtaining this information and you desperately need to know the answer to who resides at a particular address, then hiring a private investigator will very likely provide a successful result.

Tip

You may be able to obtain this information for a small fee from companies that sell it online (see Resources).