A title search is the review of public records used to confirm ownership history and identify recorded claims against a property.
A title search is the review of public records used to confirm ownership history and identify recorded claims against a property.
A title search matters because a buyer and lender do not want to discover ownership problems after closing. The search helps uncover recorded liens, prior transfers, and other issues that could interfere with a clean transaction.
It also matters because the property can look perfectly normal on the surface while the public record reveals issues that need to be resolved before the deal is safe to complete.
Borrowers usually encounter title search work during the closing phase, after the contract is accepted and before documents are finalized.
This step becomes especially important before Closing because title findings often drive what must be cleared, insured, or explained before the transaction can proceed.
A title company reviews the public record and discovers an old recorded lien that still appears unresolved. That issue may need to be cleared before the buyer can receive clean ownership.
A title search differs from Title Insurance because the search is the investigative review, while title insurance is the policy that helps protect against certain covered title problems.
It also differs from Title. Title is the ownership interest itself, while the title search is the process used to examine the record behind that ownership.