Fairfax County supervisors are encouraging homeowners to sign up for a new property alert system administered by the Fairfax Circuit Court Office.
The free service for Fairfax County and Fairfax City residents sends an email alert if any documents are filed on their real estate record with the court. The system, similar to others rolled out across the region, is designed to reduce the potential for title fraud.
The clerk’s office partnered with the county’s Department of Tax Administration and Department of Information Technology in the effort.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors directed staff at its Oct. 27 meeting to help publicize the initiative, which rolled out in early October.
“The impact of this system will make a big difference,” said Mount Vernon District Supervisor Dan Storck, who pushed to fund the effort as part of the county’s fiscal year 2027 budget.
Particularly when a home is owned free and clear, “this fraud can go undetected for months or even years,” Storck said.
Accounts can be created through the county’s “My Fairfax” portal. Springfield District Supervisor Pat Herrity particularly encouraged seniors to sign up.
“It certainly is something that is desperately needed,” he said of the initiative.
Though not irreversible, title fraud is a threat that should be taken seriously, according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency:
“A property deed or title transfer is executed and recorded illegally without the authorization or knowledge of the true and present owner. Methods used to attempt title fraud include forged warranty, grant or quitclaim deeds. A forged deed, when executed and recorded, effectively transfers the property to the fraudster without the knowledge of the true homeowner.”
Chris Falcon, who was elected clerk of the circuit court in 2023, said the initiative aims to be “an important new tool to help safeguard our residents’ most valuable assets.”
“By giving property owners free and rapid notice of any filings recorded on their property, we are strengthening transparency, as well as safety and security for our residents,” Falcon said in a press release announcing the notification system on Oct. 9.
Photo via Jakub Żerdzicki/Unsplash
