Search Matanuska-Susitna Borough Property Records

Matanuska-Susitna Borough property records are accessible through both the borough's own online tools and the Alaska DNR recording system. The borough manages assessment, tax, and parcel data locally through the Assessor's Office in Palmer. Deeds, mortgages, and other recorded instruments are filed with the Palmer and Talkeetna Recording Districts, which are part of the Anchorage Recording District under the Alaska Department of Natural Resources. If you want to look up ownership, check a tax balance, or find deed history for a property in the Mat-Su Borough, this page covers the tools and offices you need to know about.

Mat-Su Borough Assessor's Office

The Matanuska-Susitna Borough Assessor's Office handles all property assessment and tax records. The office is at 350 East Dahlia Avenue, Palmer, AK 99645-6488. You can reach the Real Property division at (907) 861-8642 and the Personal Property and Business Inventory division at (907) 861-8637. In-person visits are welcome during business hours at the DSJ Building at 350 E. Dahlia Ave. in Palmer.

The Assessor's Office keeps assessment data for every taxable parcel in the borough. Their records include the owner's name, property address, legal description, appraised land value, appraised building value, and the total assessed value. Each year, the assessor updates these figures to reflect current market conditions. The assessment drives the tax bill. A higher assessed value means a higher tax. If you think your assessment is wrong, you can appeal it. The process is described further below.

The borough's website is matsugov.us. From there you can find the Assessor's Office page, contact information, and links to online tools. The borough serves the Palmer and Wasilla areas as well as a large swath of the Susitna Valley and surrounding communities.

MyProperty Online Search Tool

The Matanuska-Susitna Borough runs a free online property search portal called MyProperty at myproperty.matsugov.us. This is the most direct way to look up assessment and tax data for any parcel in the borough. You do not need an account or login to use it.

To search, enter an owner name, property address, or parcel number in the search box. When you find the right property and click on the account ID, a detail page opens. This page shows the total assessed value under the "Total Assessed" column and the current tax owed under the "Tax Balance" column. You can also see building details, lot size, and service area information for that parcel. The tool is useful for buyers, sellers, lenders, and anyone who needs to confirm ownership or check a tax balance quickly.

Property owners who owe back taxes may have additional fees that are not shown in the online balance. For payoff amounts on delinquent taxes, call the borough's Collections department at (907) 861-8610. Properties that are already in foreclosure status cannot be paid through the online portal and require certified funds or cash at the office.

The Mat-Su Borough MyProperty portal at myproperty.matsugov.us lets you search property records by owner name, address, or parcel number and view assessed values and tax balances.

Mat-Su Recording Districts

Property recordings such as deeds, mortgages, and liens are filed with the Palmer and Talkeetna Recording Districts. Both are administered by the Anchorage Recording District under the Alaska Department of Natural Resources. The Anchorage Recording District office is at 550 West 7th Ave., Suite 108, Anchorage, AK 99501-3564, phone (907) 269-8876.

When property in the Mat-Su Borough is sold, the deed must be filed with the recording district to be effective as public notice. Alaska law requires recording to establish priority against later claims. The recording district also holds mortgages and deeds of trust, lien filings, easement grants, plat maps, and releases of lien. These documents build the chain of title for every parcel in the borough.

Online search for recorded instruments is at dnr.alaska.gov/landrecords. You can search by grantor or grantee name, document type, or date range. The district list page at dnr.alaska.gov/ssd/recoff/distlist shows that the Palmer and Talkeetna districts serve Matanuska-Susitna Borough. Fee information is at dnr.alaska.gov/ssd/recoff/Fees.

The Alaska DNR recording district list confirms that the Palmer and Talkeetna recording districts serve Matanuska-Susitna Borough for deed and lien filings.

GIS Maps and Parcel Viewer

The Matanuska-Susitna Borough offers several interactive map tools for property research. The Parcel Viewer shows parcel boundaries, aerial imagery, contour lines, and related tax data. You can view property dimensions, boundary lines, and adjacent parcels. Measurement tools in the viewer let you calculate distances and areas on screen. The GIS mapping system is at mapping.matsugov.us.

The Administrative Boundaries map shows Fire Service Areas, Road Service Areas, Special Service Areas, Assembly districts, and other service boundaries. If you want to know which service areas apply to a specific property, this map is a quick way to find out. It is useful for buyers who want to understand what local services come with a parcel before they purchase.

The Planning and Land Use Viewer covers zoning districts, permitted uses, development standards, and recent land use decisions. If you are planning to build or change how a property is used, this tool shows what rules apply in your area. The borough also publishes Tax Maps in PDF and DXF format. These show property boundaries, parcel numbers, and assessment data in a printable format. They are available for download through the borough's map portal.

Note: The MyProperty tool at myproperty.matsugov.us also includes property details, appraised and assessed values, building information, and service area data accessible from any parcel search result.

Property Tax and Payment in Mat-Su Borough

Property taxes in Matanuska-Susitna Borough are billed on July 1st each year. You can pay in full by the first installment date or split the payment into two installments. The first installment is due August 15. The second is due February 17. Paying on time avoids penalty and interest charges.

The borough offers several ways to pay. You can pay online through the MyProperty portal at myproperty.matsugov.us using a credit card or an ACH e-check. E-check payments have a $1 transaction fee. You can also pay in person at the front desk of the DSJ Building at 350 E. Dahlia Ave. in Palmer, or by mail. Make checks payable to Matanuska-Susitna Borough and send to the Finance Department at the same address.

The median property tax in the borough is $2,436. This reflects the 1.02% average tax rate applied to a median home value of $234,500. Actual tax bills vary by parcel based on the assessed value and any exemptions that apply. Senior citizens and disabled veterans may qualify for property tax exemptions. Contact the Assessor's Office to ask about eligibility.

If you owe delinquent taxes, call Collections at (907) 861-8610. Properties in foreclosure cannot use the online payment system and must pay with certified funds or cash at the office.

The Mat-Su Borough Assessing Department maintains detailed records on all parcels across the borough. Use the MyProperty portal at myproperty.matsugov.us to search ownership, valuation, and tax data for any Mat-Su property.

Assessment Process and Appeals

The Mat-Su Borough assesses real property every year. The assessment and appeals period opens in February. If you want to challenge your assessed value, the deadline to file an appeal is February 27 each year. Residents can review the data the borough used to set their value by visiting the MyProperty website and checking the details for their parcel.

Under Alaska state law, assessments are based on the "full and true value" of the property. This is the price the property would likely sell for on the open market. Assessors look at sales of similar properties in the area to estimate this value. Most increases in assessed value are driven by the market, not by decisions to raise taxes. The assessor is trying to reflect what homes are actually selling for, not to increase revenue directly.

Each assessment is broken into two parts. The land value depends on lot size, location, and topography. The building value depends on size, quality, condition, and features. Buildings are graded from "low" to "excellent" based on construction quality and interior condition. Appraisers use public records, GIS maps, and field inspections to set these figures.

If you disagree with your assessed value, contact the borough during the appeal window before the property rolls are finalized in spring. You can submit information about comparable sales or describe property conditions that may not be reflected in the assessment. The board reviews appeals and can adjust values when the evidence supports a change. Act before the February 27 deadline or you lose the right to appeal for that year.

The Mat-Su Borough assessment process uses market sales data, GIS tools, and field inspections to set annual values for land and buildings throughout the borough.

Alaska Property Recording Law

Property recordings in Matanuska-Susitna Borough follow Alaska Statute Title 40, Chapter 17. This chapter sets the rules for how documents must be prepared, what the recorder will accept, and what fees apply. All recorded documents are public records. Any person can inspect or request copies.

Recording protects buyers and lenders. In Alaska, a buyer who pays fair value and records their deed has priority over an unrecorded earlier deed. This is the core purpose of the recording system. Once a document is indexed in the Palmer or Talkeetna Recording District, it gives constructive notice to all future parties. That means no one dealing with that property can later claim they did not know about the recorded instrument.

Documents must meet formatting standards to be accepted. They must be legible, have clean margins for recording stamps, name all parties clearly, and include a proper legal description of the property. If a document does not meet the standards, the recorder can reject it. Always verify formatting requirements before submitting to avoid delays.

Online property record resources for Mat-Su Borough are available through the borough's MyProperty portal and through third-party aggregators that compile public parcel and ownership data.

Cities in Matanuska-Susitna Borough

Matanuska-Susitna Borough includes several growing communities. The largest cities and populated places in the borough are linked below. All property records for these cities flow through the borough assessor and the Palmer and Talkeetna Recording Districts.

Other communities in the borough include Houston, Talkeetna, Sutton-Alpine, Fishhook, Lazy Mountain, and many rural areas throughout the Matanuska and Susitna valleys.

Nearby Boroughs

These boroughs share borders or are near Matanuska-Susitna Borough. Each has its own property records structure.