Howard County Recorder adds Zillow as bulk user, raises image fee to $0.20 per image

The Howard County recorder presented and the commissioners approved a bulk user agreement to add Zillow as a subscriber to recorded document images and a fee increase for bulk images.

Victoria, the county recorder, explained that a ‘‘bulk user’’ differs from a month‑to‑month viewer service and that bulk users receive all recorded images for a month. She said the county currently had one bulk user (First American) since 2017 and that Zillow requested a bulk agreement. The recorder said the board approved a fee increase to $0.20 per image, effective June 1, which will apply to the new Zillow agreement and the existing First American Letter of Agreement (LOA). “Starting June 1, we decided to increase their fees, and it's gonna be 20¢ an image. 4 will go to Fiddler, which is our software company, and then we'll receive 16 of it,” Victoria said.

A commissioner asked whether the fee change was due to a price increase from the vendor; the recorder replied that Fiddler increased its fees and the county is adjusting its rate accordingly. The recorder confirmed that county legal staff (Alan) had reviewed the agreement. Commissioners moved, seconded and approved the bulk user agreement and the fee change by voice vote.

Why it matters: adding a second bulk subscriber could increase the recorder’s image‑access revenue stream and formalizes Zillow’s access to recorded images. The fee increase shifts 4¢ per image to the county’s vendor and leaves 16¢ per image for county receipts.

Details: the change takes effect June 1 and applies to existing LOAs and new bulk user contracts. The recorder provided a handout showing prior yearly amounts for 2023‑2025 and said the county would continue to provide security and data indexing services.