The best way to research the previous owners of the property would be to research the:

The chain of title is the official record of a property's ownership history. It documents the sequence of conveyances and transfers from a starting point to the present owner. By examining the public records that constitute the chain of title (such as deeds), one can identify all the previous owners of a specific parcel of real estate. This makes it the most direct and comprehensive method for researching the property's ownership lineage.

B. lien records: Lien records detail financial claims or encumbrances against a property, such as mortgages or tax liens, not the complete history of ownership transfers.

C. abstract: An abstract of title is a condensed summary of the chain of title and other public records. The chain of title is the primary record being researched.

D. grantor: A grantor is a single party who transfers property in one transaction. Researching one grantor does not provide the complete succession of all previous owners.

1. Galaty, F. W., Allaway, W. J., & Kyle, R. C. (2022). Modern Real Estate Practice (21st ed.). Dearborn Real Estate Education. In Chapter 4, "Transfer of Title," the text defines the chain of title as "the record of a property's ownership" and explains that an abstract of title is a report that "summarizes what the title searcher found in the public record." (pp. 58-59).

2. Jacobus, C. J. (2022). Real Estate Principles (13th ed.). Gideons. Chapter 9, "Conveying Title," describes the chain of title as the "linkage of property ownership that connects the present owner to the original source of title." This section clarifies that establishing a clear chain of title is the primary method to verify ownership history. (p. 168).

3. New Jersey Real Estate Commission. (2023). New Jersey Real Estate Reference Guide. In the "Title Closing and Costs" section, the guide discusses the title search process, which involves examining public records to establish a clear chain of title to ensure the seller has the legal right to convey the property. This process inherently involves identifying previous owners. (Chapter 11).