FAQ

Buying a house can be an exciting time. However, it can also come with challenges and be quite confusing. The process of buying your forever home can happen quickly, and sometimes the important things can be unexplained–like title insurance. 

The title to a piece of property is the evidence that the owner is in lawful possession of that property. 

Title insurance protects real estate owners and lenders against any property loss or damage they might experience because of liens, encumbrances, or the defects in the title to the property. Each title insurance policy is subject to specific terms, conditions, and exclusions.

Insurance, such as car, life, or health insurance, protects against potential future events and is paid throughout a monthly or annual premium. A title policy insures against the events that occurred in the property’s history and its previous owners for a one-time premium paid at the close of the escrow. 

Title insurance protects against claims from defects. Defects are things such as another person claiming an ownership interest, improperly recorded documents, fraud, forgery, liens, encroachments, easements, and other items specified in the policy.

Purchasers and lenders need title insurance for security against various possible title defects. The buyer, seller, and lender all benefit from the issuance of title insurance. 

After the closing agent opens a title order, the underwriter begins a title search. The underwriter will create a preliminary title report, called the title commitment, that will be presented to the customer for review and approval. When the title requirements have been satisfied, all closing documents are executed upon escrow’s instruction. After documents are signed, demands will be paid, funds will be disbursed, pertinent documents will be recorded, and the title policy will be created.

An escrow is a legal arrangement in which a third party temporarily holds large sums of money or property until a particular condition has been met, such as fulfilling a purchase agreement. It is used in real estate transactions to protect both the buyer and the seller throughout the home buying process. Throughout the mortgage term, an escrow account will hold funds for taxes and homeowners insurance.