What a title search checks
The search follows the property's chain of title through the county Register of Deeds and the court records, looking for anything that would stop a clean transfer or that a buyer or lender needs to know about.
- Who owns the property now, and how the current owner took title
- Open mortgages and home equity lines that must be paid off at closing
- Judgment liens, tax liens and mechanic's liens
- Unpaid property taxes and special assessments
- Easements, restrictive covenants and HOA declarations
- Breaks in the chain of title, such as a missing signature, an unrecorded divorce or an estate that was never closed
What happens with the results
The findings become a title commitment: a written promise to insure once listed requirements are met. Requirements are the to-do list for closing, for example paying off a mortgage, recording a release, or getting a signature from a former spouse.
Anything that can't be cleared is listed as an exception, which means the policy won't cover it. Reading the exceptions before closing is the best way to avoid surprises later.
How long a Kansas title search takes
A typical residential search in Johnson, Wyandotte, Leavenworth or Douglas County is turned into a commitment in a few business days. Rural tracts, estates and properties with a long or broken chain of title take longer.
Ordering title as soon as a contract is signed gives the most time to clear anything the search finds.
Can you do a title search yourself?
Anyone can look up recorded documents at a county Register of Deeds, and some Kansas counties offer online indexes. What a do-it-yourself search can't do is guarantee the result. A title search ordered for a closing is backed by a title insurance policy, so if something was missed, the policy covers the loss.
Lien searches
A lien search is a narrower check for mortgages, judgments and tax liens attached to a property or an owner. It's useful before buying at a tax sale, before lending against a property, or when you want to know what an owner owes before making an offer.
Common questions
What is chain of title?
Chain of title is the sequence of recorded transfers from one owner to the next. A title search walks that chain to make sure each transfer was valid and nothing was left unresolved along the way.
What is an abstract of title?
An abstract is a summary of every recorded document affecting a property. Some older Kansas properties still have paper abstracts. Today most closings rely on a title search and commitment instead.
Can a title search find unpaid contractors?
It finds mechanic's liens that have been filed. A contractor can sometimes file a lien after work is done, which is one reason buyers ask about recent work and why title insurance matters.
Who orders the title search?
Usually the title company handling the closing orders it when the contract arrives. The buyer, seller or a real estate agent can request it.