Does anyone happen to know how to do a title search on your own without hiring an attorney to get it done? I need one on my own property but don't want to pay to have it done twice. Once it is done I will need another when I go for a loan but I need one now for other reasons. I am being told that I can't do it myself cause I don't know what to look for. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

shawny

I hope someone knows more than I do, but I believe a title search is a history of property ownership for a particular parcel.

I needed to do this type of search several years ago to determine where some utility easements were on my property and when they came into being, since they weren't on my plat. I went to our county court house with the plat and was directed to about a zillion very, very large books and microfiches of transactions. However, a clerk told me how to start, and from then on, it was just detective work, working backwards from the owner and date of purchase of the person who sold to me ...

Perhaps you, too, could find a sympathic clerk to point you in the right direction.



BC
172/108/108
Zone since 4/98

shawny,
there really isn't a way for you to do an actual title search without a title company, however, if you're lookin for something specific, you can go to the court house and have them search for that particular thing. If you are plannin to sell your home shortly anyhow, you can always try callin a title co and asking them to issue the title commitment now, all they'll do when you go forward is update the one you have done now.
holler at me if I can help more

ekn68

I need to make sure there are no liens on my property in the past say 10 or so years other than my existing mortgage. See I was divorced over 2 1/2 yrs ago but my ex would not sign deeds. It's a long story but now he is willing to sign, and kinda in a hurry, and I want to make sure I am not getting stuck with anything I don't know about. I am told, by an attorney's assistant who does the title searches for him, that I cannot do one myself cause I wouldn't know what to look for. I am hesitant to hire them cause they want to charge me closing fees for the title search and all I want is a title search and they did the last one in 1990. Also, after he signs the deeds I plan to see about getting a construction loan which means they will do another title search. I'm just trying to save a couple bucks here. Any help you can give me would be great.

shawny

Shawny - sorry but I think your attorney's assistant is a condescending pill! You don;t know what to look for?! Gimme a break! You can check with the county clerk's office - just ask them as a starting place - they won't do the search for you, but they can point you in the right direction.

Jen
175/130/120

Hi Shawny,
it can be confusing to do a search of records, it can be done, but, there are alot of different things to look for and you could easily miss something, you're best bet is to go to a title company directly, they will issue a preliminary title insurance commitment - yes, you'll be charged, however, you'll need one for the new loan you'll be doin anyway, so can kinda kill one bird with the same stone as the saying goes. You don't need to use the atty to do this, thats just one additional fee for you - you can contact any title co. directly and they can issue it (and they'll insure its done right). One title co off the top of my head that does national searches would be Nations Title.. they have a web site, you can check for the closest operation to you. www.nationstitle.com - click on the map in the upper right corner and it will prompt you to what you need.
ok.. another question, you're lookin to do a construction loan, you won't need title on your current home unless you're plannin to use it for equity in the construction (or not until the sale) - you can get away with having the title co. do just a 'letter report' for you at this time (usually only costs about $75) but it will search for any liens or judgements ect on the property.
Hope this helps you out..... holler at me if I can help more
Erin