If I know the Seller, why do I need a title search completed before buying their property?

Whether you know the Seller or not, you should always have a title search completed or reviewed by an experienced real estate attorney. The purchase of real estate is an important investment and the last thing you want to do is risk losing your investment. There may be judgments, liens, easements, and/or even other owners that even the seller may not be aware of. A title search can reveal these potential issues and address them prior to you purchasing the property.

What does a Seller need for closing?

If you are a Seller in a real estate transaction, our office will work with you to obtain payoff information for any existing loans/liens against the property, prepare seller documents needed for closing, and facilitate the signing of the necessary seller documents along with any communication with the Buyer’s attorney. All Sellers must have their spouse, if any, join in the signing of the deed whether the spouse is on the title to the land or not.

I obtained real property before I was married and my spouse is not on the deed, why does my spouse need to sign for me to transfer or sale the property?

Although North Carolina is not a community property state, state law does provide that a surviving spouse has a marital interest in the property of the deceased spouse upon the death of that spouse. This potential future interest in the real estate must be released by any spouse you may have at the time of the transfer.

Do I need a certified copy of my deed?

Once your deed is recorded in the office of the register of deeds for the county in which the property is located, your deed is officially public record. The public record is easily accessible online. If you simply need or want a copy for your records, then you can print a copy from the online record at no additional cost. There are limited situations that require a certified copy of your deed and in these cases, you can contact the county’s Register of Deeds Office to obtain this certified copy.