The sale or purchase of a home is one of the most expensive transactions that most people will ever be involved in. Homesellers, in particular, invest significant resources in holding on to and maintaining their homes over the years. If there are clouds on your property’s title that could affect your ownership claim, however, that may affect your ability to transfer a clear title to the property to a future buyer.
There are a few steps that you can take to resolve any issues with your title to give you a better chance of selling it down the road.
How does a title get clouded?
As you’re likely aware, there just isn’t just one type of issue that may impact a title. Title issues may take on various forms, including:
- A former contractor could have successfully placed a lien on your property for alleged nonpayment.
- There could be unpaid taxes or other levied fees on the home.
- Someone could have filed fraudulent paperwork and successfully got their name added to the deed.
- Your former spouse’s name might have never been removed from the title following a divorce.
Some of these claims may be valid, while others may simply be the result of what amounts to paperwork errors.
Could a quiet title action help?
The best course of action may be to file a quiet title action. This is particularly true when you believe the cloud on your property’s title is a simple mistake or easily resolved. In a quiet title action, you essentially ask the court to officially clear up any ownership issues and claims that may exist on the property so that the title is “clear” again.
Sorting out real estate issues can take experience and skill, but it’s the best way to secure your investment for the future.
