Chain of title
The full history of ownership for a property, going back through every recorded deed. A break in the chain, like a missing signature or a bad conveyance, causes title problems.
Every term like this one lights up in the step you're on.
Free to set up. No credit card.Part 1 of 4
Why a seller cares
The title search walks back through every deed on your home. A gap in that chain, an old owner who never signed, an estate never settled, is a problem that has to be fixed before you can sell.
Part 2 of 4
A simple example
The search finds the 1998 deed was signed by one of two owners. The other owner's interest was never conveyed, and it has to be cleared now.
| What the search finds | What follows |
|---|---|
| Every deed back to the original grant, all in order | Clear chain; the title work moves on |
| A deed missing one owner's signature | That person or their heirs sign a corrective deed before closing |
| An owner who died without the estate being probated | Probate or an affidavit of heirship, which can take weeks |
A chain of title is only as strong as its weakest deed, and the search finds that deed whether or not anybody remembered it.
Part 3 of 4
What people get wrong
That title problems come from the current owner. Most come from a deed two or three owners back that nobody looked at until now.
Part 4 of 4 · where to read next
Where it appears in the sale
What a definition is, and what it isn't
Keighbor is a software company, not a law firm, brokerage, or tax adviser. This is general information, not legal, tax, financial, or real estate advice about your sale. Your situation may differ. Before acting on a contract, disclosure, title, tax, or pricing question, ask an appropriately licensed professional in your state.
Written and researched by Keighbor Research · drawn from the reference glossary · how we research and check what we publish
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