Title Company

December 14, 2018 by admin

A title search is an early warning system for buyers and lenders. It reveals flaws the owner must resolve prior to a closing or refinance request. This allows the owner to clear any clouds on the title so that the process can move forward. Also, it protects the buyer or lender from assuming an obligation they aren’t responsible for.

Title Search

A chain of title exists in the public records. It shows the history of property title transfer from each previous owner to the next. Unfortunately, these searches are labor intensive and require a specialist called a title examiner.

The search may take the title examiner back to a time when property laws were much different. Technically, only 40-60 years are required, but this could leave a cloud of title on older properties. So, title examiners typically go back to the original owner.

Tax Search

The second step involves a search of tax records to ensure there are no unpaid taxes that could result in a tax lien on the property. The local municipality could hold buyers responsible if the taxes aren’t paid prior to the closing.

Inspection

If the title insurance is for a refinance loan, the lender often orders an inspection. The inspector examines the property to investigate whether there are any encroachments or other defects that affect the title. They also verify the lot size, note unrecorded easements and the mark location of improvements.

Judgments

Judgment decrees, liens and unpaid federal taxes entail a claim on the property that supersedes a lender’s or buyer’s rights. Therefore, If discovered judgments create a cloud on the title, the current owner must resolve them before the transfer of title to the buyer.

Closing

The lender or buyer and seller can proceed with the closing after all defects have been cleared. However, the title company won’t issue a commitment to insure the property if clouds remain on the title.

Understanding how the title process works can make the closing process easier and might make buyers a little more patient while waiting for the title commitment to arrive.

Your trusted mortgage professional will be there to guide you through the process and help you communicate effectively with your lender. This partnership can be a key element to a successful transaction.

Planning For A Memorial Day Closing

Memorial Day Closings Planning to close on your home at the end of May? Plan ahead. Memorial Day is coming and the holiday may delay your closing.

Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer and the 3-day Memorial Day weekend is a popular vacation time in real estate-related industries.

Real estate agents tend to take time off because fewer of their clients are actively home shopping on a holiday weekend; mortgage lenders are closed because banks don’t operate on a federal holiday; and, title agents are often away from the office because the former two groups aren’t working.

But what’s supposed to be a 3-day weekend is actually a 4.5-day one. This is because many people leaving for a Memorial Day vacation will not go to work on the Friday before the holiday, and then getting back into the “work groove” on Tuesday can be a half-day affair.

Therefore, if you’re under contract to buy a home , or to sell one; or if you have a refinance in progress that’s expected to close at month-end, there are some steps you should take to get pro-active with your closing. If you’re going to lose 4-and-a-half days at the end of the month, you’ll want to try to make those days up while the month is still young.

Here are 3 quick tips to speed up your closing and approval.

First, get your homeowners insurance policy picked out. Do your comparison shopping, select an insurer, and then prepay your first year of insurance, effective your closing date. Pay by check and not credit card, if possible, to avoid harming your credit score.

Provide your proof of payment to your lender immediately.

Next, if you’re using a Power of Attorney, have your documents signed by all interested parties and submit them to your lender for review. Don’t assume that your attorney’s Power of Attorney documents will be acceptable to a bank — banks require specific verbiage. If the documents are rejected, make the requested fixes and resubmit.

Banks do not compromise on Power of Attorney letters.

And, lastly, if you’re accepting gifts or using retirement funds for your downpayment, be sure to have your paperwork reviewed and on file with your lender as soon as possible. Do not wait to withdraw funds until just before closing, either. Have everything in the proper checking account at least one week in advance, and ready for your closing.

There are other steps you can take, too, to make sure your end-of-May closing goes smoothly and they all amount to “preparedness”.

When you’re asked for paperwork, provide it quickly. When you’re asked to sign a document, sign it on the same day. When you’re needed to attend a home inspection or an appraisal, do it during your first available opening.

Just leave as little as possible to the “last minute”, and everything should go well.

How The Title Search Works

Planning For A Memorial Day Closing