The Mississippi records that decide what a home really costs and what the seller has to tell you: disclosure law, property-tax reset, the official registry, and the FEMA flood map — sourced, with the county offices that hold the files.
Check the records behind the address before you offer.
Check any address — free previewThe legal standard: Under Mississippi Code Sections 89-1-501 through 89-1-527, a seller of 1-4 dwelling units, when the transfer is by or with the aid of a licensed real estate broker or salesperson, must provide a Property Condition Disclosure Statement in the form promulgated by the Mississippi Real Estate Commission, based on the seller's actual knowledge; it is not a warranty.
Ask for the MREC Property Condition Disclosure Statement and check when it was delivered — if it arrives after you have made an offer, Mississippi law gives a short termination window (3 days after in-person delivery, 5 days after delivery by mail, per the form's informational statement). The seller must also sign again at closing to confirm no material changes. Do not treat the statement as a warranty or a substitute for inspection.
Our research did not confirm whether Mississippi law specifically requires flood-risk disclosure. Ask the seller directly, in writing, whether the home has ever flooded — and check the official flood map yourself (next section).
Sources: documents.sparkplatform.com · dor.ms.gov · dor.ms.gov · dps.ms.gov · state.sor.dps.ms.gov
Your bill is based on true value, the county's revaluation cycle and whether you successfully claim homestead — the seller's exemption does not automatically become yours. A change in ownership is one of the changes that can require a new homestead application, so file in the January 1 to April 1 window after you buy.
Homestead: Eligible homeowners who apply with the county Tax Assessor between January 1 and April 1 can get homestead exemption on the first $7,500 of assessed value of their primary home, with a larger tier for owners 65 or older or totally disabled (exempt on the first $75,000 of true value).
Mississippi Sex Offender Registry is run by Mississippi Department of Public Safety, Criminal Information Center (Mississippi Sex Offender Registration). Search it by the home's address before you offer — and search again before closing, because registry data changes as people move.
Open the official Mississippi registry
You can also search every state at once through the federal National Sex Offender Public Website (NSOPW). A CurbFacts report shows the registry count for the home's ZIP — the same public data, organized for the decision.
The only flood map that decides a lender's insurance requirement is FEMA's — the National Flood Hazard Layer behind the official FEMA flood map viewer. Listing sites license private models that can and do disagree with it; when they conflict, the FEMA map is the one your lender and insurer use.
Check the exact parcel, not the ZIP code: flood-zone boundaries cut through streets, and two houses side by side can sit in different zones.
Mississippi DOR says a valid homestead application stays on file unless there has been a change in property description, ownership, use or occupancy since January 1 of the preceding year — buyers who assume the seller's exemption continues can lose it, and applications are only accepted January 1 to April 1.
The MREC informational statement says if the PCDS is delivered after the buyer has made an offer, the buyer may terminate the contract or withdraw the offer for 3 days after in-person delivery or 5 days after delivery by mail — track the delivery date and method.
What the Mississippi disclosure does and does not cover, section by section, and the questions it never answers.
Read the guideHow to run an address through the official Mississippi registry, and how to read what comes back.
Read the guideRecords live at the county level — assessor, recorder, permits. Pick the county for its records checklist.
Every CurbFacts report pulls the public records behind an address — flood determination, registry, tax reset, price history, permits, and what's planned nearby — and shows its sources.
Check any address — free preview