Detailed answer — step‑by‑step under Florida law

Assume a common scenario: your grandfather owned acreage in Florida and you (or family members) now need to confirm who owns a particular portion. The reliable first step is a records search and basic title review. Follow these practical steps:

1. Identify the parcel you mean

   Find the property’s address, parcel ID (also called the folio or account number), or the legal description (lot, block, subdivision, or metes and bounds). If you don’t have an address, ask family for deeds, tax bills, or past closing papers. A precise parcel identifier makes the records search fast and accurate.

2. Search the county property appraiser website

   Every Florida county maintains an online property appraiser database showing current tax ownership, parcel maps, and often copies of recorded documents or links to them. Search by address or parcel ID to confirm the name listed as owner of record and to collect the legal description.

3. Pull recorded deeds and the chain of title at the county official records (clerk) office

   The county clerk (sometimes called Clerk of Court or Official Records) records deeds, mortgages, and many property transfers. Locate and read the deed that shows how the property was last transferred and work backward through prior recorded deeds to construct the chain of title. This chain shows how ownership passed over time.

   Florida’s recording statutes govern these public records; see Florida Statutes, Chapter 695 (Conveyances; recording): Fla. Stat. ch. 695.

4. Check probate and estate records if the transfer followed your grandfather’s death

   If the property passed after your grandfather died, examine any probate case files, wills, or estate administration records in the county where he lived. Florida’s intestacy and probate rules (when there is no valid will) are in Chapter 732 of the Florida Statutes: Fla. Stat. ch. 732. Probate records will show who inherited or received title through estate distribution.

5. Look for liens, mortgages, easements, and other encumbrances

   Recorded documents may reveal mortgages, mechanics’ liens, restrictive covenants, easements, or liens from unpaid taxes. These affect rights in the property even if the ownership name appears straightforward.

6. Consider adverse possession or boundary issues

   In Florida, prolonged open possession can create title rights in limited circumstances (adverse possession), or boundary disputes can arise where lines are unclear. Time limits and requirements appear in Florida’s limitations statutes; see Chapter 95: Fla. Stat. ch. 95. If neighbors assert possession or you see long‑standing use inconsistent with recorded boundaries, you may need a survey and legal advice.

7. When the record is unclear: prepare for a quiet title action

   If the recorded chain doesn’t clearly show ownership (conflicting transfers, a missing deed, or competing claims), a civil action to quiet title can resolve who owns the property. Quiet title suits ask a court to determine and declare ownership so the title is marketable.

These steps give you the factual basis to know who the record owner is and whether further legal action is likely needed.

Practical examples (hypothetical)

Example A: You find the property on the county appraiser site listed in grandfather’s name and see a quitclaim deed recorded two years after his death transferring the parcel to a neighbor. That deed and the subsequent recording suggest the neighbor claims ownership; check the probate file to see whether that transfer was authorized by the estate.

Example B: County records show your grandfather’s heirs on the tax roll, but an older deed from 30 years ago shows another family member received a portion by an unrecorded agreement. An unrecorded agreement can leave title unclear; a chain‑of‑title review or quiet title action is often required.

When to get professional help

Do a records search yourself first (it’s usually free online). Hire professionals when: the chain of title is confusing, transfers occurred after death without probate approval, there are competing claims, you expect a boundary dispute, or you need a court action to clear title. Useful professionals include a Florida real estate attorney, a title company, or a licensed land surveyor.

Helpful hints

• Start with the parcel ID on your county property appraiser website to confirm the owner of record quickly.
• Get certified copies of deeds and the death certificate if the transfer happened after your grandfather’s death.
• Search probate case files in the county where your grandfather lived to see whether the property passed through an estate administration.
• Look for recorded maps or plats if the property is subdivided — they clarify lot lines.
• If you run into a “gap” in the chain of title or conflicting deeds, consider a title company search or an attorney‑prepared title opinion.
• Obtain a current boundary survey before purchasing or litigating a boundary dispute.
• Keep copies of everything you find and record dates, document book/page or official record numbers, and names shown on each recorded instrument.
• If someone claims adverse possession by long use of the land, note how long, how open, and what use occurred — these details matter under Florida’s limitations statutes.