So you might get a different address there.You can also search they name on Secretary of state under corporations/LLC etc as an agent or member.

A real estate lawyer asked $600 to setup a LLC and file at the secretary of state not including $137 fee from the state, and then he would help me to get a tax id for my new entity.With a little research online I find websites like legal zoom that can do that less than half the cost.Its a very simple LLC that me and my partner will have, nothing special, 50-50 ownership and pretty much very straightforward deal.Whats your opinion for choosing the "cheap" way?

The money involved for starting mine was $100 to the secretary of state of Oregon and $100 to the CPA who put it together.

If I'm not mistaken, you can go to the north Carolina secretary of state website and search for businesses.

Secretary of state website tells me to file Form LLC 5.

I want them to understand I am serious about purchasing the property but I know that most owners get solicited with trash offers all the time and secretaries are normally pretty used to screening anything that might seem like a sales call. 

No problem Claude...As a new member to the site I have been reading a lot of the posts, and I guess I didn't pay attention to the post dates.Anyways, make sure you file your articles with the Secretary of State.

@James Wise  What was described above is simply life in the rental bizz  no amount of up front screening etc will keep you 100% immune from peoples lives.. as lives change.I had 11 A class ( new builds ) in Jackson MS area.. and by and large they were great I could self manage those ( self being my secretary managed for me).. but even there on brand new 200k homes I had one completely destroyed.. 50k in damage... and luckily the insurance company covered it and went after the tenant for criminal charges... as you know normal turn over damage is not covered with insurance.. then I have owned C class Section 8 with the same tenant for 8 to 10 years.. just like many others.. its one reason I subscribe to the thought process no matter what were or how.. you want some scale if you want to be in the rental business.. however you can do it get to at least 10 doors as quick as possible.. that way one bummer does not sink the ship.

(Although NARI firms are generally more retail-facing)Use the Georgia secretary of state website to look up contractor licenses, and there's an app called WC Verify that allows you to look up workers compensation insurance.

I'm not sure how Utah works, but in Connecticut, I would be able to go to the Secretary of the State website, type in the business name and find out who the owner is.