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Top Reasons to Regularly Check Your Property Title
Here we address the most common questions about conducting a title search, understanding legal documents, and how liens or claims against a property can affect real property transactions.
Whether you're looking to buy a home, need insight into chains of title, or are interested in title insurance, we provide the answers you need to navigate the complexities of real estate transactions. Learn how performing a title search can help you understand the legal owner of a property, uncover any previous owner history, and ensure the property is free of any encumbrances that could impact your investment.
The real estate “bubble” market caused millions of documents to be recorded on property titles. This volume has increased the number of errors, and opened loopholes for document fraud. Because of this, more homeowners are becoming interested in checking their property title records, like they might check a vehicle history or their credit report. When clients check the title search on their property, they are often surprised to find old liens, incorrect ownership, and even mortgages taken out without their knowledge.
Top Reasons
Why check your property title?
Unreleased mortgages
Even though the financial account for a prior refinanced mortgage may be paid off, the lender also has to file a lien release with the county records office to remove the old mortgage from your property title. The extreme volume of mortgage refinance activity over the past 5 years has resulted in lenders becoming less careful in filing these documents.
Incorrect liens
Liens are sometimes recorded against the wrong parcel or remain on title after the underlying debt is satisfied. A title search reveals these incorrect or stale liens so they can be corrected or released before they interfere with a sale or refinance.
Property vesting – family events
A title search will show the current ownership structure, if it is owned individually, jointly, as tenants-in-common, tenants by entireties, or even as a corporation. A death in the family, or divorce are also reasons to verify title search records.
Document fraud
Increasingly, criminals are using property records fraud to commit financial crimes, and identity theft, without notice to the property owner.
Prior owners records
The gap between the contract and closing dates allows a loophole where liens or mortgages from a prior owner may not be cleared from property records.
Assessed value
The counties assessed value may not represent the true taxable value of property in today's changing market, resulting in an inflated tax bill.
Deed copy
A title search will provide a stamped recorded copy of the property deed, which can be valuable as proof of ownership, or residency.
Pre-purchase research
The title search shows the original purchase price and date of the current owner, listing mortgages and liens. The buyer knows the sellers current financial situation before making an offer.
After sale verification
After purchasing a property, the title search is checked, to verify that the correct names are on the title, and that all records are recorded properly.
FAQ
Property title search FAQs
Your guide to real estate research with AFX Research.
What is a title search?
A title search is the resulting document of data research on a piece of real estate. A real estate researcher, sometimes called an abstractor, will retrieve the records on a property, such as transfers, liens, judgements, and other recorded data. The results are compiled into a report, called a title search. This report can be used to understand the status of the property, such as if there are liens against the property, or ownership status.
Who needs a title search?
Many of our clients are investors looking at properties for purchase, including through foreclosure or at auction, who wish to determine the status of any liens on the property. Other clients are real estate buyers who want to understand the ownership of a property before making an offer. Knowing the amount of mortgages on a property, or if there are financial problems, can help with negotiations. Our title searches often include comparable sales data. Some clients need a title search as part of a family event, such as divorce or estate matters, and many homeowners now check their own home’s title status regularly to make sure no liens are attaching to the property.
Can I do a title search myself?
Yes! In most counties and cities, anyone can visit the records office and retrieve the data and documents needed to create a title search. In most cases, the only cost is copying fees — most municipal offices charge about a dollar a page. Keep in mind that pulling all the right documents can be time-consuming and tricky: documents and liens can be cross-referenced differently in different counties, sometimes by owner name, sometimes by address, and other times by parcel number. Using a professional title search firm makes sure that someone with experience in collecting all relevant documents is performing the search.
What is the difference between a property report and a title search?
Property reports available online, sometimes for as little as $10, are usually a copy of the tax records showing the name of the assessed owner, possibly with some neighborhood information. This is NOT the same as a title search, as it does not search for liens or ownership transfers.
Do you search for liens?
Yes, this is the most important part of a title search. We run a lien search for the property, and list all liens recorded against the current owner of the property. This includes both mortgage liens and all non-voluntary liens such as tax liens, contractor liens, etc.
How long will it take to get my title search results back?
Full, in-person searches take between 12–72 hours (not including weekends). Many of our searchers around the country are set up on an instant-dispatch system, so we can send your order to them as it comes into our website. The abstractor can begin pulling the records in real time, without having to leave the courthouse or records database.
How are the results sent to me?
We normally send the results of title searches by email. The full search often contains document image copies which are scanned to PDF files for you. You can view the documents on screen, download them to your computer, or print copies at your desktop.
How do I contact someone at your company?
We can be reached in several ways. Our office number is 877-848-5337. Email us at info@afxllc.com, or use the contact form on our website.
Is the property owner notified of a search?
No, our search does not involve visiting the property, or notifying the owner or occupants. County records offices do not normally make notice of searches either.
What about commercial properties?
We can normally do a search on commercial properties for the same price. However, in some cases if the property value is excessive, or the records abnormally complex, a commercial search may be priced higher. We will contact you before proceeding if this is the case.
Start a Title Search Today
Fast, accurate property title research, nationwide. Order online in minutes, or talk to our team about the search that fits your matter.
Questions? Call 877-848-5337 ext. 138 or email info@afxllc.com