Title records – they certainly sound important, and they are. They are public records, typically housed in a county courthouse and the record the details of real estate throughout the county. This includes ownership, as well as some other important information, most notably encumbrances. Depending on the state, a variety of people maintain these records. Most commonly title records are maintained by a recorder of deeds or a county or city clerk.
What is important is understanding what documents can be recorded that will affect the property. “Recording” simply means a written record regarding a particular land parcel. The information is useful to administrators as well as buyers interested in the property. There are specific rules and regulations regarding what documents must be recorded. Typically this includes any document that will affect the interest or the title of a given piece of property. A good example is a lien.
Documents must also comply with recording laws. Again, these laws are state specific. These guidelines cover everything from the type of paper utilized to the number of witnesses required. In order for a document to be successfully recorded, it is critical that all recording laws and guidelines be carefully followed.
There are also unrecorded documents. These are typically specific types of liens, most notably statutory liens, special assessments and real estate taxes. In most cases the information is still available for public consumption; however, those interested in reviewing information typically located in an unrecorded document must approach local city or municipality governments.
Additionally, there are other types of title deed documents that are common. These include titles, deeds, chain of titles and abstract of titles. All of the information contained in these documents can be used by sellers, buyers and real estate agents to assess a piece of property for value and marketability. They are an invaluable source of information for those in the real estate market.