Butler County residents will soon be able to sign up to have alerts sent when documents are recorded in their names via the Butler County Recorder of Deeds Office.

On Wednesday, the county commissioners approved a $14,500 price quote from DTS, Document Technology Systems, Ltd., of Ohio for AlertMe software. The quote includes a $1,400 maintenance fee. The money for the software will come from the office’s records improvement fund.

AlertMe doesn’t prevent theft of home titles, but can notify a homeowner via text or email when a document is filed in the recorder’s office in the homeowner’s name, Recorder of Deeds Michele Mustello said.

“It’s meant to alert after the fact. You can’t get it before the fact,” Mustello said at the commissioners meeting.

She said private services for blocking title theft are available.

“This is just to alert people that there has been a document recorded in their name after the fact,” Mustello said.

The service can help ease public anxiety over title theft, she said.

Using an example, she said a homeowner who signs up would be alerted when their lender files a mortgage satisfaction notice, if they transfer their deed or if a new mortgage is filed under their name.

AlertMe does not send a copy of the document that was filed, Mustello added.

According to DTS, the AlertMe program monitors property documents for changes and fraud.

“This type of fraud can go undetected and cause an array of issues, including the unlawful transfer of property ownership. This fraudulent activity can make it appear as if that person owns your home or property and you may have no idea that it happened,” according to the DTS website.

Mustello said she is not certain about when the alert system will be up and running. When it is, sign ups will be available online.

Her office currently uses DTS as a vendor for recording deeds, indexing and scanning.