I start with the county assessor and recorder sites, then sanity-check with the Street View time slider; if it still feels fuzzy, a one-stamp USPS mailer sometimes confirms whether someone receives there. Curious if anyone has a cleaner, still-legal method before I spend on a database pull — laws vary, so do your own homework.
I’ve had better luck writing “Return Service Requested” on a plain first‑class postcard; if there’s a forward, USPS sends it back with the yellow label and the new address, and if not, you get a NIXIE reason — still cheaper than a database pull. I pair it with your Street View time slider and a quick homestead/owner‑occupied check on the assessor to see if the owner lives there. Small caveat: endorsements have fees and timing can be slow, — skim USPS DMM 507 first: 507 Mailer Services | Postal Explorer.
Quick example: when I need a cheap sanity check, I run the name through the state’s voter lookup, which often shows the current residential address and last update; for instance, Florida’s is free and pretty current (State of Florida Voter Lookup | Search). It won’t help in states that restrict access or if they’ve opted out, @OP, so I only use it as corroboration before paying for a pull.
Building on @wyattmor: I check the county’s online civil/criminal dockets for the latest proof of service or citation — the address used there is usually fresher than tax rolls and often notes attempted/returned service. Some courts redact or lag updates, so it’s just a corroborator before I pay for a pull.
Quick tip: before I pay for a pull, I run the address through USPS’s ZIP+4 lookup (ZIP Code™ Lookup | USPS) to see if it standardizes and shows a deliverable point; if it won’t validate, the “one-stamp” test you mentioned usually bounces. I pair that with the Street View time slider to eyeball mailbox numbering or recent construction. Caveat: multi‑unit buildings often validate at the building level even when the unit’s wrong, so treat it as directional, not confirmation.
I’ve had good luck with the state Secretary of State’s UCC search — recent filings often show a current mailing address with a filing date; check the ‘Debtor Information’ section (example: https://uccconnect.sos.ca.gov/). If it lines up with your assessor/recorder checks, I treat it like a timestamped breadcrumb, but watch for common-name collisions and states that redact or only show P.O. boxes.