What You Should Know About a Property Title Search



An important part of buying a home is completing a title search on the property. This provides essential information that a potential buyer needs to ensure that they don’t suffer any problems after the purchase. While many people know that they need a title search, they may not know what it entails or why it’s important. Here is what you should know about a property title search.

What is a Title Search?

A title search is the process of searching multiple sources to discover if there are any claims or financial issues regarding the property. The search will include deeds, county land records, tax liens, divorce cases, and bankruptcy records. You want to ensure that nobody else is claiming to be the owner of the property and that there are no financial judgments against the owner that could be attached to the property. The search will usually be done once the offer for the property has been accepted. If you order a title search, you’ll be looking for a clean property title. This means that there are no additional claims on the property and that no legal financial decisions will be attached to the purchase.

Why a Title Search is Necessary

A title search is an essential task to be done for both the buyer and seller of a property. In order to sell a home, you need to have a marketable title. This means that there are no defects in the title, such as someone else claiming to be the owner. This allows you to avoid any future disputes that could arise from the sale. The buyer of the property needs to have a title search completed to be assured that the person selling the property is the legal owner. It will also ensure that they won’t acquire any financial issues that might be attached to the home.

Completing a Title Search

Before a home can be financed by a lender, they will request a preliminary report from the title company. This is usually the point when a title search will be done. However, a title search can be done at any time during a home purchase or when a homeowner is refinancing. While a homeowner can complete a title search themselves, they usually don’t because there are a number of documents that must be obtained and analyzed. Having a professional complete the search will ensure that you don’t miss anything.

A title search is an essential task to be done whenever a property changes ownership. It protects both the buyer and seller of the property. These are some of the things that you should know about a property title search.

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