Washington Title Search

Use this page to find information specific to property title searches in Washington. When you’re ready, fill out our easy-to-use order form and your title search will be on its way.

What is a Property Title Search?

Once you’ve found a property that you are interested in purchasing in the state of Washington, one of the first steps you’ll want to take is developing an understanding of the importance of property titles and property title searches. A property title is essentially a document that provides proof that a person legally owns a specific property, and thus a property title search is a report that contains information sourced from public records regarding that property confirming its legal owner.

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Is a Title the Same As a Deed?

More likely than not, at some point you have heard people use the terms deed and title as if they are one and the same, but they are not, which is a vital distinction. A deed is a legal document given to the owner of a property at which time all debts, like a mortgage or liens, have been paid in full, and it proves that the named owner of the property has the legal right to it. Alternatively, a title contains detailed information about the property as well as any claims or liens that are placed on it, and it represents the rights to ownership that a person has over that specific property.

For more information regarding titles and deeds, visit our FAQ page.

Why Should You Perform a Property Title Search in Washington?

Prior to solidifying any Washington real estate purchase, it’s crucial to perform a property title search for a variety of reasons. First and foremost, you must ensure that the property you’re choosing to purchase makes for a secure investment. A property title search gives you the chance to uncover any potential or current issues that pertain to the property you’re interested in purchasing, and with that added insight, you’ll be poised to make educated decisions regarding your purchase.

When you perform your property title search, you’ll learn about any deed restrictions, easements, liens, or hidden debts that are attached to the property in question, and this is key because each of these factors can have a significant impact on your decision to buy the property, how you will be able to use it, and what you can expect when you sell it in the future. Perhaps most importantly, the property title search will confirm the owner’s legal right to sell the property to you.

Learn About Hidden Issues

Property title searches are performed every single day, and it’s not uncommon to find small issues that may arise. Some of the issues that tend to pop up during a property title search include outstanding liens, previously unknown co-owners, and mismatched names. All of these issues can be resolved relatively easily, but if you’re not aware of them, they can delay or prevent the sale of the property. More significant issues that may arise include bankruptcies, unpaid taxes, and various other debts. It’s better to know about all of these potential problems sooner rather than later in the buying process.

Discover the Property’s History

One of the most exciting results of ordering a property title search is that you can discover the story behind the unique history of your property. A property title search will tell you about the lineage of its previous owners as well as any and all of the key events that may have occurred over the years on the property.

Reveal Deed Restrictions and Easements

During the process of performing a property title search, you’ll become privy to any information regarding deed restrictions that serve to restrict the ways you may be able to use your property. (1) Some common examples of deed restrictions include running a business from your home, which pets are permitted on the property, and how you are able to landscape your yard. You will certainly want to be aware of any of these limitations before you commit to purchasing a property in the state of Washington.

Furthermore, your property title search will give you insight into any easements that may be on your property. An easement refers to any situation in which another party is entitled to use a piece of your land for one of many purposes. One example of an easement is when a neighbor must use a driveway or road on your land in order to access their own. Another example of an easement that may occur is when a utility company must access your land in order to perform maintenance on equipment. Before you purchase a property, you’ll want to know if anyone else has the right to access any piece of your land.

How Much Does a Washington Property Title Search Cost?

Just like every home is different, so is each property title search. Most of the time, you’ll discover that the price of a Washington property title search is contingent upon the complexity of the search. Consider the way that a property with a century of history will have quite a bit more information in public records than a home constructed within the last ten years. Assembling a property title search is far more complicated in the former scenario than in the latter.

Also, if you are interested in performing a more extensive search that includes locating trusts, wills, or potential heirs, you may also encounter additional costs. A full search will dive deep into all of the public information that pertains to the property, which will naturally be even more costly.

However, it’s also true that a less complex search can be significantly less expensive. When you choose to enlist the services of Title Search Direct to help you with your search, you can get started for as little as $35.

How Long Does a Title Search Take to Complete?

In the same way that complexity factors into the cost of a Washing title search, the same is true for the time it takes to complete. Properties with longer histories will take longer to research, in sharp contrast to properties with short histories. Keeping that in mind, you can typically expect a Washing property title search at Title Search Direct to be finished within eight to fourteen business days, barring any bank holidays. You may want to allot for a longer turnaround during peak homebuying season. 

Get Started with Title Search Direct

When the time finally arrives and you’re ready to get your Washington property title search underway, turn to Title Search Direct for fast, easy, and reliable service. 

With 25 years of experience excavating and compiling public records, Title Search Direct is the country’s top provider of title searches. Our team of professionals are experienced and passionate about real estate. We’ll make sure that you have all of the information you need in order to make educated, thoughtful purchasing decisions.

At Title Search Direct, we know the process of performing Washington Title Searches better than anyone, and it is easier than ever to get your property title search in motion. Simply use our online search service, and in just a few clicks our team will be hard at work retrieving the public record information you need to move forward with your real estate purchase.

 

Amy Pawlukiewicz, Demystifying Property Title Search: Your Questions, Answered https://www.homelight.com/blog/buyer-what-is-a-property-title-search/

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