Frequently Asked Questions

Every state has different real estate laws. And within every state, every county uses a different system to format and sort their data. Only a trained and experienced title searcher in your specific area is truly qualified enough to provide accurate results from a title search.

Sure, but it is a very specialized process that can cost you and a lot of other people problems and/or a lot of money. $85-100 is a small price to pay for peace of mind.

There is the possibility for many issues to come up on any given property. For example, taxes are assessed every year. They are a lien on the property until they are paid. You may have taken an equity line out against your home to buy a car or pay for tuition, not realizing that this is now a lien on your property. Any individual could file a lawsuit against you that could become a lien on your property. As you can see, there are many things that can happen during your time of ownership that would require a title search to discover. Remember, the title search is not only for your protection, but also for the bank who is lending you a lot of money.

A title search is highly recommended for any real property transaction. If you don't get a title search done, you are buying the property subject to any liens, taxes, or debts that may be tied to it without the knowledge that a title search could easily provide.

A title search is an examination of the public records that discovers any liens, defects, restrictions, easements, etc. to which a property may be subject. A title search provides information to the requester (usually an attorney for North Carolina closings) that explains how or whether a property can be conveyed with "clean title". The attorney uses this information to acquire loan payoffs, tax bills due, judgment or lien payoffs, etc. in order to "clear" the title for the next owner.

Most of the time, it's not the homeowner's choice. If you are borrowing money to purchase or refinance a home, your lender is going to require title insurance (a one-time fee that protects your and the lender's interest against title defects, flaws, or claims). Title insurance is based on the findings from a title search.