A title company is the corporation or company that insures the status of title on real estate (called title insurance) at a closing, and may handle other aspects of the real estate closing. A title company conducts title searches to ensure that the property does not have liens on it. Learn about the role of a title company in a real estate sale and what services it can provide.
Is Title Insurance a Waste of Money?
Is title insurance a waste of money? The title company handling the purchase offered it and the homebuyer wants to know if it’s really necessary. Q: Have you ever heard of an "enhanced title?" A friend of mine is buying a home and the title company handling her purchase is offering that to her. I [...]
What to do When You Discover an Old Oil Tank Leak on Recently Purchased Property
What can you do when you discover an old oil tank leak on your recently purchased property? Your options may be limited, especially with the title company. Q: I bought an investment property located on the edge of a river. Apparently, years ago, a nearby oil tank leaked. The tank was not disclosed in the [...]
Title Insurance Problems Arise When A Title Company Fails to Disclose An Association
What is the purpose of a title company? To avoid title insurance problems and issues. A title company's responsibility is to search the public records and inform the prospective homeowner about any issues and problems that affect the title of a property they intend on buying.
Change Mortgage In Divorce: Quit Claim Deed Won’t Work
When you divorce you may want to remove some of the names on your home's mortgage. You can't remove the name of one of the borrowers on a mortgage loan using a quit claim deed. A quit claim deed can change the names listed on a home's title but not on the mortgage. To change the names on a mortgage loan you have to refinance, sell the home and repay the mortgage loan or pay off the mortgage loan with cash.
What’s Included In A Title Search?
Title insurance protects you and your property. A title insurance company runs a title search before issuing a policy. A title search means looking at public records relating to your property and tracing the chain of ownership. What documents are included in a title search?
No Title Insurance? What Could Happen?
What could happen without title insurance? Chicago Title's Gina Giannelli describes bad situations that happened when the property owners did not have title insurance. Buying title insurance protects you and your property.
Property Transfers Into Revocable Living Trust
If you want to transfer property in to a revocable living trust - can you do so without a lawyer? Because it can be a complicated process and an error with the title could cause future problems, you should pay an attorney to do it. Or you can go to a title company for help.
Lender Leaves Mortgage With Title Company
A mortgage lender backs out of a deal leaving the title company to pay off the seller. The title company closed the transaction after the lender failed to properly fund the closing. Now instead of paying a lender, the title company expects payments.
Divorced Spouse Sells Property and Commits Fraud
When you get divorced you may still own property with your ex-spouse, perhaps as tenants in common. If one of the partners sells the property without the permission of the other, that spouse is committing fraud. What are the options for the other spouse?
Quit Claim Deeds For LLC
Filling out a quit claim deed for a limited liability company is not difficult, but it must be done accurately. The best way to make sure your quit claim deed is filled out correctly is by consulting a real estate attorney. Another important aspect of filling out a quit claim deed, is checking with your title company to make sure the LLC is covered under your title insurance. Using a quit claim deed to convey a title to an LLC may cancel any coverage under the original title insurance policy.