Salt Lake County — Salt Lake County’s innovative, free Property Watch program is expanding across the state. Property Watch is an invaluable first line of defense against property fraud. Homeowners across the state can opt into this service to receive timely updates and protect their properties from fraud or unauthorized changes. The program’s ease of use offers Utahns added protection for their most valuable asset—their homes. This in-house program was successfully developed and implemented by Salt Lake County Recorder Rashelle Hobbs in 2019. The service gained statewide attention for its ability to protect homeowners by providing real-time notifications of any documents recorded on their property. Due to the program’s success and the critical nature of this service, Salt Lake County offered to share the framework with other counties at no cost. Several rural and urban counties have since adopted this model, extending the same level of protection to their residents. Additionally, private companies have begun incorporating similar services into their recording software for counties statewide. During the 2024 General Session of the Utah State Legislature, Senate Bill 165, Title Recording Notice Requirements Amendments, mandated a system like Property Watch in every county recorder’s office in Utah. With the statewide requirement, information about Property Watch like systems in every county will be included in property tax notices, making it simple for Utah residents to enroll.  “It was exciting to share the Property Watch resource with fellow County recorders and State legislators,” said Salt Lake County Recorder Rashelle Hobbs. “I’m proud of the Salt Lake County Recorder’s Office’s work on this program because it reflects a strong commitment to public service and homeowner protection, ensures all Utah homeowners have access to real-time notifications, and empowers homeowners to take immediate action if needed. The statewide requirement of similar systems is proof of the effectiveness of Property Watch.” With Property Watch, homeowners can rest easy knowing they will be notified of any updates to their property’s record. Unlike paid alternatives, the Property Watch program, and its versions in other counties, are offered through local county recorders, completely free of charge. “Recorder Rashelle Hobbs and her office have been instrumental in developing and implementing Property Watch,” Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson stated. “I’ve supported the program from its early stages because I recognize its value to residents. Recorder Hobbs and I advocated together for all Utahns to have access to a resource like Property Watch. We also both encourage all property owners in Utah to sign-up.” Additional information about the Property Watch program is available online, slco.to/property-watch, and will be detailed in property tax notices. The post Salt Lake County’s online property watch program leads to statewide mandate intended to protect property owners appeared first on Utah Business.