Property Title Search Ohio

Title Search Direct is simple and easy to use, allowing anyone to initiate a property title search OH residents have been dreaming of, discover hidden problems with the property’s title before it becomes an issue, and make a sound decision.

With 25 years of industry experience, our team can help you find your real estate title before you commit to a purchase, providing peace of mind with every investment.

What Is a Property Title?

A property title is a document compiled by a historical reporting of the property’s information. (1) Depending on the type of search you do, as well as the type of property, you may discover different information on the report.

“Just like a car, a house has a record of ownership. It’s called the title, and what is written on this piece of paper is of paramount importance.”

Huffpost.com

Ohio property title reports typically show any relevant information about the property including the land and any buildings on the property. Information includes any active mortgages, debts, claims, liens, or bankruptcies.

A full property title search in OH will also review the deed and any connected documents to the property’s ownership and legal standing.

These documents can not only affect the seller’s legal right to sell the property but could also affect your legal right to own the property in the future if the title isn’t clear of debts and liens.

Types of Title Searches

A few types of searches exist, allowing you to customize the type of information you’re looking for. Each search goes into a different level of depth of detail, checking different public records for new information.

A current owner search will suffice for most properties, but if you have any doubts about the property or want to dive in-depth into the public record, you can also purchase a full property title search; OH residents typically opt for full title searches to ensure their purchase is safe.

How Much Is a Title Search in Ohio?

The cost of a title search can vary greatly depending on the company you choose to search, as well as the type of search you need, as each goes into a different level of detail in surveying public records.

With Title Search Direct, prices start at just $35 with easy online ordering; no more stacks of paperwork to fill out or bulky book-bound reports. Simply type in your state, property address, and checkout with your desired search type!

Who Completes the Title Search in the Buying Process?

In the buying process, whenever a title search is initiated, a title company or attorney often takes over the search process. Sometimes, this process is taken over by the lender or homebuyer as individuals, but this might not lead to accurate reporting.

While information about the property is a part of public record, a title search company like Title Search Direct knows best how to find, analyze, and report the information with no lost data or misunderstanding of the legal document.

Especially when a property’s record extends several generations into the past, reporting can become confusing or difficult to understand as legal processes and language change. It is always recommended to utilize a title search company in the process to ensure no data is missed or misrepresented in the report.

Who purchases the title search – whether it’s the prospective buyer or the seller – is often determined in the sale process and negotiation itself. Often, if an Ohio property is old and in need of repairs, the seller will more likely be the one to order the search as it clears the property for sale. If the property is relatively new and in good condition, however, the buyer may be more likely to purchase the title search.

Ready to Start Your Property Title Search OH?

Are you ready to start your property title search? Ohio residents can benefit from the title search process by better understanding the property’s history, protecting their investment from debts and potential liens that may be uncovered during the search process.

In just a few clicks, you can initiate the search process. As an established title search provider for real estate in Ohio, you can rely on fast, accurate services.

Don’t let yourself get wrapped up in debt from the purchase of an old property or let yourself be surprised by hidden liens or claims on your property after you’ve taken ownership of the property. It’s never too late to order peace of mind.

How Long Does a Title Search Take?

In most cases, a title search at Title Search Direct takes between 8-14 working days, potentially longer for periods over bank holidays and in peak homebuying season.

Depending on the type of search initiated and the amount of data present for the property, title searches may take longer as well. Typically, the older the property is, the longer the search will take as there is more documentation to sort through and report.

The type of search determines the amount of information addressed as well, as title searches can get detailed down to historical disputes over the property line, or any other legal disputes around the property, the building, or the land.  

If any problems are uncovered in the search process, the details will be added to the report for you and the seller to discuss with an attorney or real estate agent.

Benefits of Property Title Searches

Many benefits come from having a property title search done during the buying process. Primarily, the search helps ensure you’re purchasing a property that is legally able to be sold and identifies any liens or debts that you might be liable for.

Any debts the property has outstanding when sold can lower the sale price, as the ownership of the debt would also transfer to the buyer once the transaction is done.

In life, we make a lot of unnecessary purchases, so it can be difficult to separate what is truly necessary from the frivolous. A lot of homeowners and new commercial property owners may wonder about the property title search process.

Fortunately, there are a lot of tangible benefits to having a search done for Ohio properties, as it can reveal a lot of surprising information about the building, land around it, and property line. Title searches provide you with a host of valuable historical information on the property that you may need to know in the future if problems arise.

Discover Hidden Issues

Anytime you purchase a property, you become responsible for all the claims against the title. The seller’s heirs, a debt against the property, and many other circumstances could prevent you from having clear ownership of the property even after the sale is made.

These issues aren’t always present at the beginning of the sale, or even at the beginning of ownership, but in most cases, a full title search will uncover any hidden issues within the property’s title.

There are some items that a property title search cannot reveal, and a few examples of that is undisclosed heirs, forgery or fraudulent claims, and mistakes made in the reporting of legal documents.

Hidden issues like these are rarely present in title documentation, but it does happen. A title search will uncover anything that is reported in the documentation, however, allowing you some peace of mind. These types of documentation mistakes are what title insurance is meant to cover, making it a popular service for new homeowners in Ohio.

Factor Liens Into the Buying Process

Liens are never something you want to see on a title, but occasionally they do appear and will hinder the buying process, as the buyer must consider the debt that the seller has on the home.

These problems discovered during the title search process are one of the most common causes of closing delays when a buyer is ready to move forward. In most cases, the sale cannot move forward if a lien is present on the title.

One of the most common types of liens is a mortgage lien, which is issued by the bank as part of the mortgage loan. If this is present on the title, it means that the seller does not yet have ownership of the property and is still paying their bank loan for the purchase.

Tax liens are the second most common type of lien, issued by the IRS; these liens take precedence over any other type of lien on the property. This is often due to the seller failing to pay property taxes or some other type of taxes with the property used as collateral.

There are other types of liens such as judgment liens or mechanics liens which are often smaller claims or claims that have been taken to court and ruled in the creditor’s favor.

To get rid of a lien, the seller or buyer must negotiate their terms and the liens must be satisfied. There are a few options to removing liens from the property title, such as paying the debt in full or negotiating with the creditor for a lower payment.

Occasionally, a lien may still be present on a property even after it has been satisfied; in this case, it must be corrected by contacting the holder, or by taking legal action if the lien was obtained illegally or if the claim is expired.

Learn the Property’s Purchase History

Every property has a unique history that gives it that certain charm or character that buyers so often look for.

By ordering a title search, you can not only discover the factual details about the property but gain some insight into its history and what occurred on the property over previous generations. With the level of reporting title searches provide, it is a great investment for any property owner to have a record of.

Begin Your Property Records Search in a Few Clicks

For property title search OH residents turn to Title Search Direct, one of the top title search companies nationwide.

Our team has a passion for two things: real estate and accurate data. With 25 years of established industry experience as a title search provider, you can rely on accurate reporting every time you need a new property title search.

With easy online checkout and low prices, it’s easy to discover hidden issues about your property whether you’re a rental unit landlord, homebuyer, or looking to purchase a new property on the market.

Find peace of mind in your residential home or commercial property investment today with Title Search Direct.

References:

1.     Huffpost.com, Escrow, Title, and 8 Other Terms to Know Before Buying a House, https://www.huffpost.com/entry/real-estate-terms-first-time-buyer_n_5a329dd2e4b00dbbcb5b8e07