Title search – Reeves Land Services

Title searches are important for several industries, particularly those involving land. The title of a property determines the bundle of rights associated with a piece of property. This can include mineral rights, water rights, and other such details. In property, the title can also be paired with a deed to determine legal possession, or ownership, of the property in question.

Reeves Land Services helps companies and individual landowners with title search services. Whether you are a single property owner or a large business, we have the skills to assist in all of your title and land needs. For many of our clients, the service goes beyond title search. We perform all property and land right services as a landman in Texas.

What is a title search?

A title search is a process of researching the history of a property to determine the current owner, any outstanding mortgages or liens, and any other encumbrances on the property. Title searches are often conducted when someone is buying or selling a property, or when a lender is considering issuing a mortgage on a property. The purpose of a title search is to ensure that the property can be transferred from one party to another without any legal issues or disputes.

 How to do a property title search

To conduct a title search, you will typically need to start by obtaining a copy of the property’s title deed or abstract from the local county records office or land registry. You may also need to review other documents, such as mortgage or lien documents, tax records, and zoning maps. You may also need to search for any outstanding judgments or liens against the property or the current owner.

It is important to note that a title search is not a guarantee that there are no issues with the property or the title. It is simply an attempt to uncover any potential problems that might arise during the transfer process. If any issues are discovered during a title search, they may need to be addressed before the property can be transferred.

Part of the title search process is determining how a title is held. Property titles may be held as a sole proprietor, meaning the property title is under one name, the owner. Property can be held in joint tenancy with the right of survivorship. This is common when there are two owners, such as a married couple. The property title would transfer to the surviving owner if the other was to die. Property held in tenancy in common gives multiple parties a defined share of interest in the property. Some married couples choose to hold title as tenants by entirety. This method of ownership only allows for the sale of the property if all parties agree. Property can also be held by living trust. The trust can allow the current owner to control aspects of the future treatment of the property after their death. There are also several benefits of having the property in trust, like saving money on estate taxes.

Titles can be complex documents containing years of information. For that reason, most individuals opt to hire a professional to help do the title search. Companies, such as oil and gas exploration companies, also use the services of professionals to do the work. These companies hire landmen to research each property in question. These landmen are able to research the title and alert the company or landowner of any issues or incongruencies that are relevant to the property. Reeves Land Services is available to assist in all of your title search and property related needs.