Frequently Asked Questions

HouseLines is a property genealogy platform that organizes public building records — permits, renovations, contractor activity — into useful, searchable pages for every town. Think of it as a building history report for your property.

Yes! Building permits are public records under Massachusetts law. Municipal building departments are required to maintain and provide access to permit records. HouseLines just makes them easier to find and use.

We source data directly from municipal systems, but there are important caveats: not all work requires a permit, permit valuations are self-reported, and contractor names reflect who pulled the permit (not necessarily who did the work). Always verify with local authorities.

Permit data is updated on a regular cadence. Depending on the town, there may be a 1–2 month lag between when a permit is filed and when it appears in our data.

We're starting with Massachusetts and expanding. If your town isn't listed yet, it's coming soon. Contact us to express interest or to help us prioritize coverage.

Address-level reports are coming soon. We're building a system that will let you enter any address and see every permit ever filed for that property, along with renovation timelines, contractor history, and cost estimates.

Email waitlist@houselines.com to join the waitlist for address-level property reports. We'll notify you when they're available.

Please email data@houselines.com with the details. We take accuracy seriously and will investigate and correct verified errors.

Town-level data is free and publicly accessible on our site. We plan to offer paid address-level reports for homeowners who want the complete permit history for their property.

A 'house line' is a term from architecture for the line on architectural plans that represents the ground plane. We use it as a metaphor for the timeline of a property — the record of everything that's happened to a house over the years.