Trying to find out if Mortgage is payed off.

[Joseph Wright]

Not sure if this is the right place to post. An acquaintance wants to sell me her deceased fathers house in which she believes the mortgage is satisfied but does not have the deed. The mortgage was taken out in 1981 through the Farmers Housing Administration which I believe is no longer in existence. I checked with Register of Deeds for my county and the deed was not sent to them as satisfied. They have no record of the mortgage being transferred to any other lending institution. Any advise of which direction to take would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks