Prior to the purchase or sale of real estate or land, a title officer investigates the title to see if there are any irregularities that could affect the transaction or the property’s use. She could be an expert in commercial, industrial, or residential titles, or she could be skilled in all three. Normally, she works as a staff member for a real estate firm or a title insurance company.
Land and real estate titles are certificates that establish ownership. The documents are usually kept by both the owners and the regulatory agencies. They include all pertinent information about the property and its owner, such as outstanding taxes, liens, easements, and zoning restrictions. Any of these factors could cause a delay or prevent the purchase or sale of a property, as well as determine the property’s eligibility for title insurance, which protects the buyer from claims made after the sale.
When a title officer discovers issues with a title, she usually contacts the seller first to determine whether the issues are valid. When there are liens or unpaid taxes, she and the seller usually try to resolve them so that the sale can go through. If the buyer thinks the purchase is worthwhile, he or she may agree to personally address these issues in order to speed up the transaction.
A local or regional commission is usually in charge of zoning and easement issues. If the title officer wants these restrictions changed or removed, she usually has to make a case to these governing boards. If her requests are turned down, she can act as a go-between for the buyer and seller to reach a mutually beneficial agreement.
To address her concerns, a title officer may have to rely on information found in the region’s land maps and past mortgages in addition to studying these title discrepancies. This occurs most frequently when the property and title in question have not been transferred or examined in a long time. If the available documents do not provide enough information, she frequently conducts a physical inspection of the property.
Title officers may work independently or with the assistance of entry-level employees. Employees with this job title are usually title searchers or title abstractors. A title searcher frequently assists the title officer in locating documents. When information from trust deeds or mortgages needs to be extracted, a title abstractor’s help is frequently required.
To be hired for this position, you must have a high school diploma or equivalent. To work as a title officer, you should have experience in underwriting or as a title searcher or title abstractor. To be considered for a job, some employers require applicants to be licensed notaries.