Choosing the right real estate title agency makes all the difference if you’re selling your Fort Myers or Cape Coral property without the help of a real estate agent. An experienced and professional title agency will give you a smooth and hassle-free for sale by owner (FSBO) experience.
Many people wonder why FSBO transactions require the services of a title agency. The fact is, title agencies provide necessary services for all real estate transactions, for sale by owner or not.
Title Services For Your FSBO Transaction
One of the most important things to remember is that the title agency works for you, whether you are the buyer or the seller. As the facilitator of the entire closing process, the title company wants the sale to go through. Title agencies and the agents who work with you are impartial service providers.
A FSBO transaction requires the same basic services from the real estate title company as a realtor-assisted transaction; a title search and title insurance. A full-service title agency will also offer escrow and notary services. All of these things are required in order to complete your FSBO transaction. The benefit of hiring a full-service agency to handle your FSBO transaction is that you get all of these services under one roof, so there is less confusion and room for error.
Safeguarding Your FSBO Purchase
It’s helpful to think of the title company as providing safeguards for the entire FSBO property purchase. The title search itself is an important safeguard since it determines whether the property is legally available for sale. A title agency reviews the public record to determine if any liens or judgments have been placed against the property. Title agencies have this process down pat and are very familiar with the routines, procedures and terminology that is used.
The second safeguard that the title agency provides affects the FSBO property purchaser and the mortgage lender; title insurance. Title insurance protects the buyer and lender from unforeseen claims that may arise against the property in the future, such as unpaid taxes or property liens that were not caught in the title search. Although the title search is supposed to find these liens, it’s always possible for a lien to be missed or a claim to arise against the property from an unknown source, and title insurance safeguards against either of these occurrences.
At Title Junction we care about helping you stay informed throughout your real estate transaction. Have questions? Give us a call at 239.415.6574.
In case you missed it, check out our last Title Junction post: Selling Features Agents Forget to Mention