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Frequently asked questions

What does title insurance actually cover?

It covers losses from defects in the title that existed before you bought the property: undisclosed liens, recording errors, forged or improperly executed documents, missing heirs, unpaid taxes and boundary or easement problems. An owner’s policy protects your equity for as long as you hold an interest in the property; a lender’s policy protects only the lender’s loan balance.

What is the difference between title insurance and escrow?

Title insurance is a policy that protects against defects in the chain of ownership. Escrow is the neutral process of holding funds and documents until every condition of the sale has been met. We provide both, which keeps the transaction in one file instead of two.

Who pays for title insurance in California?

It is negotiable and varies by county and by contract. In Southern California the buyer commonly pays for the owner’s policy, but the purchase agreement controls. We will tell you exactly who is paying what on your file before you get to signing.

What is a preliminary title report?

It is the written result of our title search: the current vested owner, the legal description, and every lien, encumbrance, easement and restriction of record. Read it carefully and ask about anything you do not recognise — it is the list of what has to be cleared before closing.

How long does a closing take?

A typical residential purchase runs 30 to 45 days from opening to recording, driven mostly by the lender. Cash purchases can close in as little as a week or two. Refinances usually run two to four weeks.

What do I need to bring to signing?

A current government-issued photo ID for every person on title, and certified or wired funds for your closing figure. If you hold title through a trust or an entity, we will need the trust certification or entity documents in advance.

How do I avoid wire fraud?

Assume every email containing wiring instructions is fraudulent until you have confirmed it by voice. We will never email you instructions or send a change to them. Call our office at a number you looked up independently — not one from an email — and confirm the details with a person you know before sending funds.

Can you close a file on vacant land?

Yes. Vacant land in the High Desert carries its own issues — access and legal ingress, split parcels, unrecorded easements, back taxes and old mining or water rights. We search for all of it and tell you what we find before you commit.