Ocean County is located on the coast of New Jersey and makes up a large portion of the Jersey Shore. Ocean County is also a gateway to New Jersey’s Pine Barrens, one of the largest protected pieces of land on the East Coast. Scott Title provides property title search services to towns through Ocean County including:
- Jackson
- Toms River
- Brick
- Point Pleasant
- Lakewood
- Seaside Park
- Point Pleasant
- Long Beach Island
What is a Property Title Search?
A property title search is the process of gathering documents that show who has the legal right to own the property in question and, through that ownership, to sell it.
A property title search usually occurs once an offer to buy a piece of real estate has been accepted. The title company goes through a process of rigorously examining multiple sources to determine if the property is free of liens, pending lawsuits, unpaid taxes, leases, easements, mortgages and other outstanding issues or restrictions that could impact the transfer of ownership. This includes looking at deeds, divorce cases, county land records, bankruptcy records and other financial judgments potentially attached to the property. A clear property title search means the buyer and lender agree there are no outstanding issues that could crop up after ownership has been transferred.
This process may also include a property survey to ascertain the dimensions of the plot of land the property is located on and to ensure that the property is actually located within those boundaries. A title search is also required in the event that a home or business owner wants to mortgage their property and the bank wants to ensure the transaction.
Who Handles a Property Title Search?
If you are considering whether or not you can conduct a property title search on your own, the best advice would be to hire a professional instead. Hiring a professional title company to conduct a property title search is the only way to know for sure you have investigated the full history of a property in order to find any undisclosed information that could impact you as the home buyer. If you try to conduct the search yourself and overlook an important piece of information, you may end up spending way more money than if you had just hired a title company in the first place.
What Will a Property Title Search Reveal?
A title search can uncover a lot of information about a title. There are numerous issues that could be attached to a title, some more obvious than others. In an ideal scenario, a title search will reveal everything there is to know about a property and you won’t have to worry about any of it. However, sometimes a property title search can reveal a number of defects including:
- Property and boundary disputes
- Property liens
- Missing heirs
- Contested wills
- Utility easements
- Mechanic’s liens
- False documentation/forgery
- Errors in filing
- Divorce decree settlements
- Bankruptcy issues
If any of these are found, you will want to have the current property owner deal with them prior to purchasing the property or you may simply choose to step away from making the purchase. Sometimes the things a title search team uncovers can have massive costs.
Commonly Asked Questions About Ocean County Property Title Searches
We get a lot of questions from our Ocean County clients about the title search process. Here are some common questions we are asked:
- How Long Does It Take for a Property Title Search in NJ?
- Why is a Property Title Search Important?
- What is Involved in a Property Title Search?
- How Far Back Does a Property Title Search Usually Go?
- What is the Purpose of a Property Title Search?
- What Will a Property Title Search Reveal?
- Who Pays for Property Title Search in NJ?
- How Much is a Property Title Search in New Jersey?
- Are Property Titles Public Record?
- How Do I Check if My Property Has a Clear Title?
We can help you understand the property title search process with answers to these questions and more.
Experts in Ocean County Property Title Search Services
At Scott Title, we have been conducting rigorous, thorough and accurate New Jersey property title searches for more than 20 years. Our experienced title search agents take care to ensure all the necessary information and correct documentation is accounted for in each title search we handle. From our office in Red Bank, our team has managed title searches for clients in Ocean County and throughout New Jersey, simplifying what would be an overwhelming process for our clients and dealing with potential problems before they can cause serious issues. Our in-depth research sets us apart from others in our industry.
Other services offered at Scott Title include:
- Ocean County Title Insurance Services – We work closely with all parties involved to ensure a successful closing, including real estate agents, brokers, lenders, and attorneys for both the buyer and seller.
- Ocean County Settlement services – Our experts scrutinize every step and aspect of your transaction, from the investigation of the title to document preparation to the final closing, so that you can focus on the big picture. Let us sweat the details.
- Ocean County Real Estate Paralegal services – We provide a full suite of real estate paralegal services for New Jersey attorneys, including research, document preparation, document retrieval, filing and recording.
