Clear
When the records say something you didn’t expect
Sometimes the surprise comes from the public records: a lien left behind by a previous owner, a deed with a name spelled wrong, a fence a foot over the line. Sometimes it arrives in the mail from the association, as a fine or a special assessment you were never told about.
We pull what the records say, tell you what it means for your closing or your home, and say plainly what it will take to fix: a letter, a payoff, a signature, or, in a few cases, a court.
Liens, judgments and unpaid taxes against a property
Gaps and errors in the chain of owners
Lot lines, easements and shared drives
Fines, assessments and rule disputes with an association
How we work a problem
The records review is credited toward our fee if you hire us for the rest. Anything beyond it is quoted in writing before we start.
Pull the records
Deeds, mortgages, liens and plats from the county, and the association’s own documents.
Say what it means
Whether it blocks a closing, clouds your ownership or is something you can live with.
Fix what can be fixed
Payoff letters, corrected deeds, releases and agreements with a neighbor or the association.
Say when it needs a court
If a judge must decide, we tell you so, what it costs and how long it can take.
Questions about title and associations
If your situation isn’t covered, write to us.
The title company found a lien from the last owner. Can I still close?
Often, yes. The lien is usually paid from the seller's proceeds at closing, and a release is recorded afterward. We read the payoff letter, make sure the amount and the release are right, and tell you if the closing should wait.
The association is fining me over something that was there when I bought. What now?
We start with the association's governing documents and its own notices. Many fines fail on procedure, not on the rule, and a calm letter that says so settles more of them than you'd think.
A neighbor's fence sits on my side of the line. Do I need a survey?
Usually, yes. A current survey is what turns an argument into a fact. We read it against your deed, and then help you decide between an agreement with the neighbor and something more formal.
Found something in the records?
Send what you have, even if it's only the notice or a line from the title commitment.