Non-Disclosure States: Complete List and What It Means for Real Estate Investors
Non-disclosure states are states where the actual sale price of a real estate transaction is not recorded in the public record. For investors, wholesalers, and appraisers, this creates a significant challenge: you cannot simply look up what a property sold for by searching county records. Instead, you need alternative methods to determine after-repair value (ARV) and evaluate comparable sales. As of 2026, there are 12 non-disclosure states in the United States, and understanding which states they are, and how to work around the lack of data, is essential for anyone investing across multiple markets.
Complete List of Non-Disclosure States (2026)
The following 12 states do not require that the sale price be recorded on the deed or made available in public records:
| State | What Is Recorded | Workaround Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska | Deed only, no price | Small market; MLS access is critical |
| Idaho | Deed only, no price | MLS is primary comp source |
| Indiana | Sales disclosure form filed, but not always in digital public records | County assessor may have data; some counties digitize |
| Kansas | Deed only, no price | County appraiser offices may share informally |
| Louisiana | Deed only, no price | Napoleon Code system; title abstracts sometimes show price |
| Maine | Real estate transfer tax return filed, but restricted access | Transfer tax amount can be reverse-engineered to estimate price |
| Mississippi | Deed only, no price | MLS is often the only reliable source |
| Missouri | Deed only, no price | Some counties publish voluntary disclosures |
| Montana | Realty transfer certificate filed, not always public | Department of Revenue may have data |
| New Mexico | Deed only, no price | Small market; agent relationships matter |
| North Dakota | Deed only, no price | Very small market; limited MLS coverage |
| Texas | Deed only, no price | Largest non-disclosure state; MLS and property data platforms are essential |
| Utah | Deed only, no price | Wasatch Front MLS covers most transactions |
| Wyoming | Deed only, no price | Very small market; agent contacts are critical |
Note: Some sources list 12 non-disclosure states, others list 13 or 14 depending on how they classify states like Indiana and Maine where partial data exists. The states above are the most commonly cited where sale prices are not reliably available in public deed records.
What Non-Disclosure States Mean for Investors and Wholesalers
If you invest in a non-disclosure state, the immediate impact is on your ability to pull comparable sales data. In disclosure states like Florida, Ohio, or Georgia, you can search county records and see exactly what every property sold for, when, and to whom. This makes it straightforward to estimate ARV, determine market trends, and identify cash buyers by looking at transactions without associated mortgage liens.
In non-disclosure states, that information simply does not exist in the public record. This affects several aspects of your investing workflow:
- ARV estimation. Without sale prices in public records, you cannot pull comps from county data alone. You need MLS access or a property data platform that aggregates sale prices from other sources.
- Wholesale deal analysis. When you are underwriting a wholesale deal, you need accurate ARV to set your maximum allowable offer. In non-disclosure states, your ARV is only as good as the data source you use.
- Buyer identification. One popular method for finding cash buyers is searching deed records for transactions without a mortgage. In non-disclosure states, you can still do this (the deed transfer is recorded, just not the price), but you lose insight into what price range the buyer operates in.
- Appraisals. Appraisers in non-disclosure states rely heavily on MLS data, which means your deal's success at the appraisal stage depends on MLS comp availability. If your property is in a rural area with few recent sales, appraisals become more challenging.
How to Pull Comps in Non-Disclosure States
The lack of public sale price data does not mean the data does not exist. It means you need different sources. Here are the primary methods investors use to pull comps in non-disclosure states, ranked by reliability.
1. MLS access (most reliable)
The Multiple Listing Service is the gold standard for comp data in non-disclosure states. MLS records include the actual sale price, closing date, days on market, and property details. The challenge is access: MLS data is available to licensed agents, brokers, and their clients. If you are not licensed, build a relationship with an agent who can pull comps for you, or use a property data platform that has MLS data licensing agreements.
2. Property data platforms
Services that aggregate data from MLS boards, county records, and other sources can provide sale prices even in non-disclosure states. The coverage varies by platform and by market. Some platforms have excellent coverage in Texas (the largest non-disclosure state), while others have gaps in smaller markets like Wyoming or North Dakota.
3. Tax assessment records
County assessors in non-disclosure states still need to value properties for tax purposes. Their assessed values are based on market analysis that includes actual sale prices (which assessors have access to even if the public does not). While assessed value is not the same as market value, the ratio between assessed value and actual sale prices in a given county is often consistent. If you know the typical assessment ratio (for example, 85 percent of market value), you can estimate sale prices from assessment changes.
4. Transfer tax reverse engineering
In states that charge a real estate transfer tax (like Maine), the tax amount is recorded even if the sale price is not. Since the tax is a percentage of the sale price, you can reverse-calculate the approximate sale price from the tax paid. This method does not work in states with no transfer tax (like Texas).
5. Agent and title company relationships
In small markets within non-disclosure states, local agents and title companies often know what properties sold for even if the data is not in public records. Building relationships with 2 to 3 active agents and a title officer in your target market gives you access to this tribal knowledge.
Texas: The Biggest Non-Disclosure State
Texas is by far the most impactful non-disclosure state for investors because of its market size. Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth, San Antonio, and Austin are among the largest investment markets in the country, and none of them record sale prices in public deed records.
In practice, Texas investors rely almost entirely on MLS data for comps. The major Texas MLS boards (HAR in Houston, NTREIS in DFW, ACTRIS in Austin, SABOR in San Antonio) have comprehensive coverage, and most property data platforms pull from these boards. If you are investing in Texas, MLS access through an agent or a platform with MLS licensing is not optional; it is a hard requirement.
The upside of investing in a non-disclosure state like Texas is reduced competition from data-scraping competitors. Tools that rely solely on public records for sale prices cannot function in Texas, which means investors who have MLS access or use platforms with MLS data licensing have a meaningful information advantage.
Non-Disclosure States vs Disclosure States: Impact on Strategy
| Factor | Disclosure States | Non-Disclosure States |
|---|---|---|
| Public comp data | Sale prices in county records | No sale prices in public records |
| Primary comp source | County records + MLS | MLS only (or data platforms with MLS licensing) |
| Buyer identification | Easy (price + no mortgage = cash buyer) | Possible (deed + no mortgage), but no price insight |
| Tool compatibility | Most tools work | Tools relying on public records have gaps |
| Competition | Higher (data widely available) | Lower (data barrier filters out casual competitors) |
| Appraisal risk | Lower (abundant public data) | Higher in rural areas with sparse MLS coverage |
Frequently Asked Questions About Non-Disclosure States
Why do some states not disclose sale prices?
Non-disclosure laws exist primarily to protect property owner privacy. The rationale is that the sale price of a home is a private transaction between buyer and seller, and there is no public interest served by making it available to anyone who searches county records. States like Texas have maintained this position even as most other states moved toward disclosure.
Can I find sale prices in non-disclosure states at all?
Yes. The prices are not in the public deed records, but they are available through MLS boards, licensed agents, and property data platforms that license MLS data. The information exists; it is just not in the public record that anyone can search for free.
How does this affect skip tracing and buyer identification?
You can still skip trace property owners in non-disclosure states because ownership records (deeds, mailing addresses) are still public. What you lose is the ability to filter buyers by purchase price using public records. To compensate, use MLS sold data or property data platforms to identify purchase prices and classify investors by buying range.
Do non-disclosure states affect wholesaling legality?
No. Wholesaling legality is determined by state contract and real estate licensing laws, not by disclosure rules. Non-disclosure only affects your ability to access sale prices from public records. Check your state's specific wholesaling compliance requirements separately.
Which non-disclosure state is hardest to invest in?
Wyoming and North Dakota are the most challenging because of their small populations, limited MLS coverage, and fewer active agents. Texas, despite being non-disclosure, is relatively easy because the major MLS boards have comprehensive coverage and most data platforms have Texas MLS licensing agreements.
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- Best Real Estate Comps Software
- Tax Assessment vs Market Value
- How to Find Cash Buyers for Wholesaling
- What is ARV (After Repair Value)?