Whether you are in the market to buy a house or you want to put yours on the market, doing a title search on a home is something you may not know you need to do. If you are dealing with real estate, a title search may be necessary. Here are reasons to do a title search on a home.
You don't know if there is a lien
A lien can be placed on a property for a variety of reasons, including non-payment of child support, a court ruling from a creditor, or other issues. If you have a home with a lien on it and you want to sell, you need to know about this financial strain because the costs of the lien will apply to the profits of the home or keep you from refinancing your property. You can go to your county clerk to find out if a lien exists or you can have a realtor do a search for you.
If you are buying a home, a lien on any property you are interested in can make it harder for you to get a loan. Or, a home sale can fall through if a lien is in existence, so it is best to be prepared and perhaps pass on a home that has a lien placed on the title.
You don't know who owns the house
Are you buying a house from a family member or a private seller? How do you know the home is in the name of the person selling it? You want to know if the home you are buying is legitimately in the ownership of the people or company selling it, and doing a title search will reveal this for you.
If you are selling, you want to do a title search so you have the title to prove you are indeed the current homeowner should a buyer ask. Your realtor may require you have this paperwork anyhow to make selling your home much easier.
Getting the title to your own property can come with a cost and take some time, so make sure you are allowing yourself plenty of time to get this documentation in hand when you put your house on the market. If you are buying, make sure titles exist before making a final purchase. This way, you know your real estate adventure is going to be successful. Call a real estate title search service for more information.
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