Title Searches & Reports
If you have found real estate you’re interested in purchasing, a title search report will give you insight into the history and legal claims associated with the property. You may think: What difference does it make? A title search can make a big difference in whether or not you decide to purchase the property.
Your target property may check all the boxes in your mind, but a title search can bring legal issues to light that can fall in your lap when you take ownership. In addition to ownership history, the report also reveals any easements and financial or legal claims. That’s why the team at Mattingly Ford Title does the due diligence, so nothing unexpected comes up.
How Is a Title Search Performed?
The process of performing a title search can be time-consuming, and you have to know where to go for the correct information. It involves looking into public records within your geography and checking for liens, mortgages, judgments, or outstanding taxes. Typically, you look back through 50 – 75 years of history. Some of the documentation can be found for free online or you may have to pay a fee to access it. There are some cases where you may have to go to a county records office in person to retrieve documentation.
What Is Included in the Report?
A title search report reveals a great deal of information that helps to determine if the title is free of defects. A few of the things a title search can reveal include:
- Property boundary disputes
- Property liens
- Contested wills
- Easements and encroachments
- Mechanic’s liens
- Fraudulent and inaccurate documentation
- Divorce settlements
- Bankruptcy
How Do You Get Title Reports?
When you’re in the process of purchasing a property, Mattingly Ford Title provides the report to you. It’s that simple. We know what to ask, where to look and what we need to make sure your bases are covered. We also offer our client Title Insurance to further protect their interests.
Should You Get Title Insurance?
Yes! Absolutely. Title Insurance is another layer of protection you can have just in case something unforeseen happens. Even with our most diligent effort, we can’t control fraud, erroneous paperwork, or other unforeseen issues that can arise. Title Insurance protects buyers in those scenarios.
Talk to Experts at Mattingly Ford Title
Our job is to make all real estate transactions secure, accurate, and official, and we want
to make the process as hassle-free as possible. That’s why our clients trust us for fast,
friendly, and accurate closing services at a fair price.