New Jersey's Leading
Title Search Team

Title Insurance Protects Your NJ Real Estate Title Search in Many Ways
The goal of Title Protection Group, LLC is to conduct a thorough search and evaluation of public records in order to reduce or eliminate the threat of a claim. But human errors happen as well as changing legal interpretations of the law. When claims do arise, however, our professional staff address them immediately, according to the terms of the title insurance policy. Title insurance reimburses you for the amount of your covered losses as defined in the policy. It will provide a defense against wrongful claims against your title.

Here is a list of our Underwriters:

• Chicago Title Insurance
  Chicago Title conducts a diligent search of the public records for those documents associated with the property. Chicago Title then examines those recorded documents in order to determine if there are any rights or claims that may have an impact upon the title to the property. The title search may reveal the existence of recorded defects, liens or encumbrances upon the title such as unpaid

• DOMA is one of the Underwriters for Title Protection Group, LLC
  Doma Underwriting Services, previously known as North American Title Insurance, has been protecting homeowners and their lending partners for more than 50 years. Handling both residential and commercial transactions, our network provides, or can coordinate, settlement services spanning across all 50 states.

• Old Republic Title Insurance Company is another of the Underwriters for Title Protection Group, LLC
  Headquartered in Tampa, FL, Old Republic Title Insurance Group has built a solid reputation as an industry leader and is one of the largest title insurance groups in the United States. We have a conservative financial management philosophy to maintain stability through changing tides in the real estate, lending and financial markets. Since 1992, no other title insurer has had higher overall ratings than Old Republic Title. The Group’s underwriters are Old Republic National Title Insurance Company and American Guaranty Title Insurance Company, and we operate through a national network of Company-owned offices, affiliates, authorized agents and approved attorneys.
  

• Westcor Land Title Insurance
  As the nation’s largest independent underwriter, everything we do is designed to support independent agents across the country, from small towns to big cities, we believe in the power of community and creating lasting relationships both locally and nationally. From day one, Westcor has been committed to competing for our agents, and that’s just one of the many differences that separate us from our competitors. We will always be an independent, proud, passionate, and purpose-driven company working towards a common goal. Our story continues to be one that inspires, motivates, and makes our team members feel like they’re part of something bigger than themselves.

Here are some situations for which Title Protection Group, LLC would provide protection: 

• Inaccurate or incomplete legal descriptions
• Mistakes in recording legal documents
• Forged deeds, mortgages, satisfactions or releases of mortgages, and other instruments
• Impersonation of the true owners of the land by fraudulent persons
• Outstanding prescriptive rights not of record and not disclosed
• Liens from unpaid estate, inheritance, income and gift taxes
• Special assessments that become liens upon passage of resolution and before recordation or commencement of assessed improvements
• Recorded easement, where the actual access path does not follow route described in the granted easement
• Fraud, duress or coercion in securing essential signatures
• Invalid, suppressed, undisclosed and erroneous conclusions from reviews of wills

The title search process

A NJ real estate title is not a physical piece of paper, but a “bundle of rights that accompanies a piece of real estate.” A bundle of rights is a term for the set of legal privileges that is generally afforded to a real estate buyer with the transfer of the title. The bundle includes the following rights:

• Possession
• Control
• Exclusion
• Enjoyment
• Disposition

A Variety of Documents

Rather than a search for a single document type, a NJ real estate title search involves gathering a variety of documents that detail the history of a property’s ownership. These records are located at a centralized government office, like the County Recorder or municipal offices. Often there are matters, such as claims of a mechanics’ lien, that the seller should have been aware of but either wasn’t or was aware of but let it go.

The title company will deliver a title report with information such as:

• Property details, including the home’s address and county location
• Legal description of the property on file
• Deed information, like who holds the current deed and the history of property transfer
• Mortgage liens
• Encumbrances and comments (this is where issues such as  mechanics, HOA/Condo and utility liens will be listed)
• Property taxes—and whether they are current or delinquent

How far back do title searches go?

Title searches may examine records for a house for as long as the property has existed or for as long as records have been kept in the particular township or county. In some cases the title company has to undertake extraordinary work to address title issues that often go back 50 years or more.

Sources: Investopia | Homelight

Changes in technology have greatly impacted the way real estate transactions close. In this video from Old Republic, we take a look at the four scenarios that you may encounter at your upcoming closing, depending upon circumstances.

Common issues that a NJ real estate title search could dig up

• Boundary encroachment:
  Boundaries for land areas recorded with the title reflect the size of real estate sold. The size recorded with the title must equal the actual property size.  Title Protection Group may order a survey to confirm the actual boundary; or the discrepancy between the recorded land deed and the current boundary.
• Improper title transfers:
  This happens when the property sells but the local government authority fails to complete the proper paperwork. Title records indicate a previous occupant as the owner. When title Protection Group staff members investigate they often find records traced back reveal the point of error. 
• Tax liens:
  Tax liens recorded against a title for back taxes owed must be paid before the sale proceeds. Unpaid property taxes, for example, may be listed against the home’s value. These taxes must be paid before the house sells or the tax amount may be deducted by the county from the home’s selling price.
• Contractor and mechanic liens:
  If a homeowner orders work completed on their property but fails to pay for it, the contractor may put a lien against the title to be compensated for his work. A mechanics lien follows the same concept but reflects a loan against the title to repay a mechanic such as an HVAC contractor who installed a new system.
• Estate complications:
  Estates prove problematic when there are multiple heirs, uncertain heirs to the property, or liens from nursing homes, healthcare facilities, or other entities against the title. Multiple heirs or lack of wills make title ownership unclear until the courts determine who owns the property. Until then, the property cannot legally sell.
• Forgeries:
  Forged titles can occur and disputes must be settled prior to the sale of any property.
• Unknown owners:
  Because titles provide legal proof of ownership, an unknown owner recorded on the title throws a challenge into the sale process. All owners must agree to sell before the title changes hands and closing proceeds.

Source: Homelight.com

Helpful Search Terms for NJ Real Estate Title Search

• property title search
• title search company nj
• nj property records
• nj deed search
• new jersey title
• what is a title search
• nj address lookup
• title search nj cost