Are there any actual differences between title companies? — YES!
Title insurance is an important part of your real estate transaction, and there are many moving parts to secure it. In less experienced and organized hands, it can be a very frustrating experience marked by miscommunication, long waits and delays. LeConte Title prides itself on executing closings in a relaxed, efficient, and professional manner. Most of our transactions come from repeat business — once buyers and realtors experience our Higher Level of Service, they won’t settle for anything less. Many of our repeat customers are realtors. We love realtors and cater to their unique needs, we ensure that realtors shine at their closing! Afterall, closings are celebrations of successful, life-changing events.
Our first-time clients are often surprised with the professionalism and ease of closings at LeConte Title. Superior service and professionalism should not be surprising, but unfortunately in this industry, it often is. At LeConte Title, a “Higher Level of Service” is our goal and our promise.
What is Title Insurance & Why Do I Need It?
Owning your property free and clear involves more than having a deed in hand. A deed does not cancel certain prior “rights” and “claims” other people may have to your property–rights whose existence you never suspected – claims that may go back in time months or decades to the earliest owners of your newly acquired property.
Protecting Your Rights “What protection”, you may ask, “do I have against such claims? How can I be sure my property is really mine?” The answer to both of those questions is real estate ownership insurance, commonly known as title insurance.
Title Insurance Title insurance is an insured statement of the condition of your “title” or ownership rights to a certain piece of property. A title insurance policy describes your property in detail and states what limitations, if any, there are to your ownership. (For example, you may take ownership subject to existing liens or encumbrances. Or you may not own mineral rights. Or easements may have been granted to utility companies or adjacent property owners).
Most importantly, a title insurance policy guarantees that the property you are purchasing is free of undisclosed liens, confusion in the rights of ownership and other clouds on the title.
Peace of Mind A title insurance policy provides you with peace of mind. It takes the risk out of acquiring property whose legal history is unknown to you. While there should be no risks in transferring property, they do exist. Through the years, your new property may have changed hands many times through sale, inheritance, foreclosure, or bankruptcy. Each transfer was an opportunity for an error in title to arise. If an error occurred, and has never come to light, it puts your title in jeopardy. You could lose your property and the money you paid for it. And, even if you successfully defend your rights of ownership, the cost in time and legal fees could be prohibitive.
Title Insurance Protects You Against:
- Confusion from similarity of names
- Forged documents
- Signatures of minor or mentally incompetent persons
- Mistakes in recording legal documents
- Undisclosed or missing heirs
- Fraud
- Invalid divorces
- Misrepresentation of marital status
- Unpaid taxes
- Clerical errors in public records
- Wills not probated
What is Escrow?
Our Policy
Before a policy is issued, we conduct a search of public records, maps and documents. These records may extend back to state land grants and forward to the current owner. Only after collecting, examining and interpreting appropriate records is a policy issued insuring the condition of title. Besides describing your property and spelling out any recorded limitations on your ownership, your title insurance policy sets forth in clear terms what the insurance company will do in the event that a flaw in title is discovered or your rights of ownership are challenged.
In simple terms, the insurance company agrees:
• To defend your title in the courts, as insured, at its own expense.
• To correct or clear the title when possible.
• To promptly pay you for your loss in the event of an unsuccessful defense of your title.
Two Policies in One
This is in effect two policies in one. One provides coverage for legal expenses to defend title. The other provides for reimbursement in the event of a loss.
Our Low Premium
A low, one-time premium is all you pay to obtain the protection and peace of mind of a title insurance policy. So long as ownership remains in your name or that of your heirs, there is no additional cost. The policy is issued in an amount equal to the purchase price you pay. Of course, the greater the coverage given, the higher the premium.
More About Us
The owners of LeConte Title are attorneys with many years of experience in closing business and real estate transactions. As consumers of title insurance services, we have an appreciation for the quality of service which should be provided to title insurance customers. LeConte Title is committed to providing a higher level of service utilizing the latest technology and the Internet to assist you in placing orders for title insurance, monitoring the progress of your transaction and quickly completing the closing. We also provide quality service the old fashioned way–by being accessible and giving you personal service.
LeConte Title is an authorized agent for Fidelity National Title Group and First American Title Insurance Company.
