A title searcher scours public records for as much information as possible about a property title. While individuals can conduct title searches on their own, most people prefer to hire professionals because the process can be time-consuming and difficult to complete, and title searchers are experts at uncovering information that is difficult to locate. People hire a title searcher during escrow as part of their due diligence on a potential property purchase, and title searches may also be required to refinance a property, obtain a construction loan, or purchase title insurance.
When a title searcher is hired, he or she has the option of conducting a full or limited search, depending on the client’s needs. In either case, the goal of the search is to uncover information that could prevent the property from being transferred or cause a problem for the owner. A title search, for example, could reveal that a parcel is technically landlocked, with no easements from neighbors to access the nearest road.
During a title search, the title searcher verifies that the property’s stated owner is the true owner and that there are no liens against the property, such as a mortgage or a judgment against the owner. People with a legal interest in a property, such as an absent co-owner, are also looked for by title searchers. They also double-check the property’s details, ensuring that the property’s description and boundaries are correct.
In addition, title searchers look for restrictions such as easements, forfeited mineral rights, and other issues. This is to protect people from unpleasant surprises. If someone buys a piece of land with timber rights that have been sold to a lumber company, for example, the lumber company has the right to access the land and remove the timber. Title searchers are also used to look up assessment rates, which vary depending on where the property is located. Someone might be surprised to learn that, in addition to a standard property tax rate of one percent, they must also pay a half-percentage-point municipal tax.
A title searcher must have excellent research skills as well as good relationships with people who have property title information. Regional land record offices, title companies, and banks are all part of this. Most title searchers are computer savvy, but they must also be able to sift through older records stored in ledgers and have keen eyes for errors. A title searcher could be held liable if he or she fails to spot a problem with a property.