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About Title Insurance |
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We Inform You
Land is permanent,
but its ownership isn’t. Every property starts out with a bundle of
rights that its owner can expect. But over the years, with each new
possession of property, events can take place that affect the title,
such as a refinancing, a tax lien, an encroachment by a neighbor, or the
marriage, divorce, or death of an owner.
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THE
TITLE SEARCH
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When a buyer and seller agree on a home or land
purchase transaction, our title professionals search public records
to see if any outstanding matters could affect the new buyer’s
rights, capturing and analyzing even the smallest details. These
records include recorded documents such as: judgments, liens,
general taxes, utility assessments, special taxes and levies, and
other matters that could cost the new buyer money or, even worse,
affect their ownership. This process, called a title search,
provides warnings of title flaws that must be dealt with before the
property can change hands.
Established Professionals
As your closing partners, we are
recognized as the established professionals in the business. With
multiple locations, we are easy to do business
with and look forward to serving you.
We Reduce Your Risk
Once our title
professionals find these title issues, we then work to remedy any
problems that could prevent the owner from having “clear” title. For
example, a previous owner may have had minor construction done to the
home, but never fully paid the contractor performing the work. We
identify this unpaid bill so that it can be resolved by the seller
before closing. If it isn’t, the new owner might very well be
responsible for this payment.
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THE
HIDDEN PROBLEMS
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best title search, performed by the most experienced and capable
experts, cannot ensure that no title hazards exist. Some problems
simply are not revealed in public records. Years ago, there may
have been an honest mistake in determining the status of title. Or
today, a previously unknown heir may come forward to claim ownership
of a deceased relative’s property. There might even have been a
forged deed that impairs the ownership of the property.
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help protect our clients in these events, we issue an Owner’s Policy
of Title Insurance that insures against most of these unforeseen
problems. So, title insurance not only helps to remove the flaws
that show, but also insures against those that don’t.
We Insure Your Rights
 The title insurance
policy is what people usually think of when they think of title
insurance. For this reason, there
are two kinds of title policies: one
for owners and one for lenders. An Owner’s Policy is assurance that we
will stand behind each closing. Bottom line: we will be there to help
pay valid claims and cover the costs of defending an attack on title.
Receiving an Owner’s Policy isn’t always an automatic part of the
closing process, however. Be sure to request one. Because without an
Owner’s Policy, a homeowner could be liable for these costs and legal
fees, even if they prevail in a legal action.
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WHY
LENDERS LIKE IT, TOO
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The mortgage lender also has a great financial
interest in each closing. Just as homeowners do, lenders rely on us
to ensure that they won’t be impacted by unforeseen title problems
that could affect them. The Lender’s Policy covers them for the
amount of the loan, and declines accordingly as the loan is paid.
We Protect Your Piece of the American Dream
Title insurance
isn’t like most of the things we Americans buy. In fact, it’s not
exactly a product, but more a process. It’s different
from other kinds of insurance, too, in that the premium you pay just
once buys coverage that lasts the entire time you, or your heirs, own
your property—whether it’s five years or 105!
Since 1952, we pride ourselves in providing you with a variety of
and the best of services. Noted below are our most frequently used
services:
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