What is “Title?” What Does It Mean to the Prospective Property Buyer or Seller?

How do I get title information?

During the contract period before closing, the title insurance company selected in the contract by the parties will perform a type of “title search,” and provide you with a “title commitment” (the commitment to issue a title policy upon closing).

Who selects the company and who pays for the title commitment usually is determined by the contract. That title commitment generally will disclose (and provide you copies of) recorded title matters, claims or encumbrances which are found by the title company. Such title matters, some of which you might determine are actually title problems or “defects”, might involve such things as unpaid taxes, a previously undisclosed claim from an heir of a previous owner, a restrictive covenant or agreement affecting the use of the property, or perhaps an easement, such as to the local power company to install or keep a power line on your property or even creating rights for someone else to use or cross the property. You may find mineral or water rights reservations or even transfer or other required fees that might affect your purchase (or later sale) economics. Title documents also might disclose a previous mortgage or undischarged lien on the property. There are many different kinds of title matters that might be recorded against your prospective property’s title. You should look carefully at all matters disclosed in the title commitment as soon as you receive it. You usually have only a short time to review and object based on title concerns if you so choose.

What if I see title matters that concern me? If you see problems or concerns in your “title documents” that are identified in your title insurance commitment, you may want to get legal assistance to help you understand and evaluate them. You also may want to raise those concerns as objections right away with the seller and seek to correct them, before you buy. How and when you do that is usually specified in your contract. Remember, someday you will be a seller of your property, so before you agree to buy your property, know exactly what you are buying, and get as many title protections as you can before you close. If the title issues cannot be resolved before you buy, or if you determine that they are serious enough, you may decide not to buy the property at all.

What is title insurance?

Title “insurance” is actually an agreement of “indemnity” between the title company and the named insured owner/buyer/lender, by which the title company agrees to protect you against certain challenges to your title by third parties, which agreement is subject to certain exceptions, conditions, exclusions and stipulations which are set forth in the title commitment and policy. Understand what those are before you close since they can limit or preclude your getting coverage for potential claims. Should you suffer an adverse claim or loss due to a title matter which was not disclosed to you, or which otherwise is within the scope of coverage in your title policy, your insurer may, if you request it, under certain circumstances, be required to try to fix the problem, defend you against it, or if the company cannot fix it, compensate you for allowed losses which fall within the policy limits, if any.

There are two basic forms of title insurance: “Owners” and “Lenders”:

Owner’s title insurance is issued to you once you become the owner of the property, based on the initial commitment. It can compensate you for losses up to the amount you paid to purchase the property, under certain conditions. Owning a property can be your biggest asset and an owner’s title insurance policy is one way to help protect your investment from undisclosed title problems, within the scope of the title policy that you get.

Lender’s title insurance is typically purchased by the buyer for the lender, in the amount of the loan, for as long as the loan is outstanding, to cover your lender’s (possible future) interest in your property in case the lender ends up owning the property through foreclosure. An owner should not rely on a lender’s title policy since the lender’s policy does not cover or protect the owner, who must get a separate owner’s title policy to get protection. Frequently, the lender’s title policy coverage has different terms and types of coverage than the owner’s, if the lender has requested it.