Tips on Using Hawaii's Inside Track
Just to let you know, we have revamped our public record collection service. In order to update the records that most of our subscribers use our service for, we are continuing to collect judicial foreclosures, probates, divorces, guardianships, mechanics' liens, bankruptcies, special proceedings, new business filings, and federal and state civil cases, but we are no longer collecting/updating tax liens, building permits or judgments. However, we have left in our database the existing records in these last three kinds of filings. To get to public records, go to our homepage at http://www.HawaiiInsideTrack.com (or you may go to http://www.hawaiireporter.com and select Public Records from the light blue bar that runs across the top of the page). After you log in, click on any of the different records you want to view. You can search all records (or whatever kind of record you want) by entering a name in the "Search for" box and selecting the type record to search (noted in the drop-down bar) in the "In" box. Then click on the "Search Filings" box. There is a Watchlist feature that allows you to enter any names or companies you want to track. When that name appears anywhere in our newly entered records, you will receive an email, linking you to the record with that name. On the first search, we recommend just clicking on that name, which will show up as a blue link on your public record homepage, and the entire database will be searched, with the results appearing in a very organized, easy-to-access manner. Here's how to add a name: Go to the public record section, select the button that says Your Watchlists (third button on the left-hand side of the records homepage under Public Records) and where it says Search String, enter the name of the person or company you want to track. Then hit Add Watchlist. You will be informed if the name was successfully added. You can add as many names as you wish. And at any time, you can delete any name you don't wish to keep in your list. TIP: Enter the word foreclose in your Watchlist and any time a new foreclosure is entered in our database, you will get a Watchlist after midnight of the day the record was entered. (Or enter the word estate and you will know when new probates are entered into our database.) This way you don't have to go to our site everyday to see if there are any new foreclosures or probates. We do recommend that you occasionally click on the names in your Watchlist to get a list of all records with that word in it. This is to make sure you have seen all the latest filings, just in case there is a technical problem on our side, or yours, regarding the Watchlist feature. Here is some information on probates along with a link to the Bureau of Conveyance -- Often times, the initial probate filings at First Circuit Court may give a last residence of the person who died, but that's not necessarily property they own. I now put the filing number and date of the filing, the name of the person who died and the name, address and phone (if in the filing) of the person who is applying to become the special administrator or personal rep or whatever for the estate. This way you have information for someone you can contact about the estate. Then you can take the name of the deceased person and use the Web site of the state Bureau of Conveyances to see if that person had any property filings there. (Go to: http://bocweb.dlnrbc.hawaii.gov/boc/) (Go to http://tinyurl.com/4hbf49 for a list that explains what the class types mean in the different filings.) Hawaii's Inside Track also has a feature that allows you to automatically receive newly entered data from our various public records that can be entered into an excel spreadsheet. In the Watchlist section, where it says Search String, enter the word excel and go below Search String to were it says Filing Type. Go to the down arrow in the Filing Type bar (to the right side of the box) and select the type of record you want to receive an Excel Watchlist for. (Please note, if you leave the Filing Type selection as All Public Records, you will only receive results for Bankruptcy filings and nothing else.) After you have selected a Filing Type, hit Add Watchlist and it will show up in a list of Watchlist names you have selected. Repeat these steps and add as many Filing Types as you want. After midnight each day, our system automatically looks through any new records entered and searches for matches in your Watchlist. You will receive one email with all your Watchlist results. At the bottom of the Watchlist email you will find instructions on how to load the data results, which come as an attachment in the email, into an excel spreadsheet. Call me anytime on Oahu at 808-946-9393 if you have any questions or just send me an email at jay@hawaiireporter.com. Regards, Jay McWilliams Hawaii's Inside Track Hawaii's Inside Track P.O. Box 12176 Honolulu, HI 96828 Phone: 808-946-9393
