The FAQs of Title Insurance For Homebuyers

For most of us, a home is the largest investment we'll make in our lives. To buy with confidence, get owner's title insurance. It's the smart way to protect your property from legal claims. To help you understand how owner's title insurance works, here are answers to common questions.

What is title?

Title is your right to own or use your property. Title also establishes any limitations on those rights.

What is a title search?

A title search is an early step in the homebuying process, conducted of the public records, to uncover issues that could limit your rights to the property. If a title issue is discovered, most often your title professional will take care of it without you even knowing. After the title search is complete, the title company can provide a title insurance policy.

What is title insurance?

If you're buying a home, title insurance is a policy that protects your investment and property rights.

There are two different types of title insurance: an owner's policy and a lender's policy.

1. An owner's policy is the best way to protect your property rights. Either the buyer or seller may pay for this policy. Ask your title professional how it's handled in your area.
2. A lender's policy is usually required by the lender and only protects the lender's financial interests. The buyer typically pays for this policy, but that varies depending on geography. Ask your title professional how it's handled in your area.

Why should I purchase owner's title insurance?

Owner's title insurance protects your investment in your property from certain future legal claims regarding ownership of your property. For a one-time fee, you and your heirs receive coverage for as long as you own your home. The owner's policy also covers potential legal fees and court costs for settling claims covered by your policy.

What does owner's title insurance cover?

Sometimes undiscoverable defects can come up after the title search. Under an owner's title insurance policy, you are protected against certain undiscovered errors in the title.

Title issues include unknown:

• Outstanding mortgages and judgments, or a lien against the property because the seller has not paid his taxes
• Pending legal action against the property that could affect you
• Unknown heir of a previous owner who is claiming ownership of the property

Unforeseeable title claims include:

• Forgery: making a false document
  - For example, the seller misrepresents the identity of the person who sold the property.
• Fraud: deception to achieve unfair gain
  - For example, someone steals your identity and either sells your house without your knowledge or consent, or takes out a second mortgage on the property and walks away with the money.
• Clerical error: inconsistent paperwork and historical records
  - For example, an unforeseeable discrepancy in the property or fence line can cause confusion in ownership rights.

What does owner's title insurance cost?

The one-time payment for owner's title insurance is low relative to the value of your home.

How long am I covered?

Your owner's title insurance policy lasts for as long as you or your heirs own your property. Your life will change over time, but your peace of mind never will.

What happens at closing?

Closing is the final step in executing the homebuying transaction. It is the process that allows the transfer of ownership to occur. Upon completion of the closing process, you get the keys to your home!

Where can I get more information?

The American Land Title Association helps educate homebuyers like you about title insurance so you can protect your property rights. Check out www.homeclosing101.org to learn more about title insurance and the home closing process.

This advertising offers a brief description of insurance coverages, products and services and is meant for informational purposes only. Actual coverages may vary by state, or locality. You may not be eligible for all of the insurance products, coverages or services described in this advertising. For exact terms, conditions, exclusions, and limitations, please contact an Old Republic Title representative.

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What Is Title Insurance And Do I Need It?

Amy FontinellePersonal Finance Expert

Reviewed

Chris JenningsDeputy Editor, Loans & Mortgages

Updated: Jun 14, 2023, 12:40am

Editorial Note: We earn a commission from partner links on Forbes Advisor. Commissions do not affect our editors' opinions or evaluations.

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When you take out a mortgage, one part of your closing costs will be title insurance. The premium is a one-time charge, and the policy protects the lender. You also can purchase owner’s title insurance to protect yourself, but it’s not required.

Here’s what you need to know about what title insurance: What it covers, how much it costs and whether you should buy it.

What Is Title Insurance?

Title insurance is a policy that covers third-party claims on a property that don’t show up in the initial title search and arise after a real estate closing. A third party is someone other than the property’s owner, such as a construction company that didn’t get paid for its work on the home under a previous owner. The term “title” refers to someone’s legal ownership of the property.

A title claim could arise at any time, even after you’ve owned the property with no problems for many years. How could this happen? Someone else might have ownership rights that you don’t know about when you make an offer to buy a property. Even the current owner might not be aware that someone else has a claim on the property. In the case of an overlooked heir, even the person who has those rights might not know they have them.

Before your home loan closes, your mortgage lender will order a title search from a title company. The title company searches for public records related to your home to try to find any title defects that could affect the lender’s or buyer’s property rights such as:

• Liens can get placed on the property by a contractor, tax authority or lender who hasn’t been paid. You don’t want to get stuck paying a previous owner’s unpaid bills.
• Easements are someone else’s right to use your property even though you are the owner. For example, if there are utility lines in your backyard, the utility company will have an easement that allows them to access your property if they need to work on the lines. The easement could limit your ability to use your property however you want.
• Encumbrances include liens (also called “financial encumbrances”) as well as easements, but also include zoning laws, restrictive covenants imposed by homeowners associations and leaseholder rights.

A title company searches public records including deeds, mortgages, divorce decrees, court judgments, tax records and child support orders.

If the title search reveals any problems (also called “clouds”), the title company will try to resolve them. In some cases, your real estate agent will need to work with the seller’s agent to get the seller to resolve the problem. In other cases, the problem may be significant enough to derail the sale.

Navigating the Current Housing Market: Finding the Brighter Side

December 20, 2023

If you’ve been following the housing market, you’ve undoubtedly seen some discouraging trends. While it’s true that mortgage interest rates and home prices are rising to levels we haven't seen in a long time, it’s important not to forget about all the benefits of owning property. Whether you’re a prospective homeowner or real estate investor, there are still advantages to investing in real estate – even in the most challenging market.

1. Long-Term Appreciation: The housing market has a proven track record of solid appreciation over the long term. According to the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), the U.S. housing market has experienced positive annual appreciation since 2012. The Q3 2023 FHFA House Price Index (FHFA HPI^®) reports that U.S. house prices rose 5.5 percent between Q3 2022 and Q3 2023, which was 2.1 percent higher than Q2 2023. To find appreciation rates in your state for the last quarter, year or five years since 1991, click here.

2. Historical Agility: The housing market is known to be cyclical, with distinctive highs and lows. There is nothing new about the current downturn in rising interest rates, escalated property values and scarcity of inventory. Mortgage interest rates fluctuate over time, and although they have doubled within the past few years, they are still historically low. During the 1980s, rates for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage were as high as 18 percent, which is significantly higher than the current average of roughly 7 percent.

House prices are subject to fluctuations, as well. Supply and demand drive home prices; when there is a shortage of supply, prices often rise, and vice versa. Market factors, such as location, have a significant impact on real estate prices and national data only provides partial information. For instance, a downturn in California can mask a boom in Florida.

3. Hard Asset: Real estate is a physical entity, or a “hard asset” with intrinsic value, unlike stocks or bonds. It will never become valueless and has the potential to generate a steady cash flow. Regardless of fluctuations in the economy, hard assets are considered highly valuable.

4. Diversification: Real estate offers a large variety of property types, making it easier to diversify investment portfolios. Some of the various property types range from residential properties, vacation rentals and fix-and-flip investments to office and retail buildings, agricultural land and Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs). A diversified investment portfolio provides several benefits, including flexibility, risk mitigation, income stability, capital appreciation and market exposure.

5. Tax Benefits: As a homeowner, there are certain tax benefits that could return money to your pocketbook each year. If you obtained a mortgage loan to purchase your home, the interest you pay may be included as a deduction on your annual tax return. The state and local real estate taxes paid to the taxing authority may also be included as a deduction. If you receive rental income from real property, such as a vacation home for short-term stays, you may deduct certain expenses on your tax return for managing and maintaining the property, such as interest, taxes, advertising, maintenance, utilities and insurance.

Real estate investors also benefit from tax programs such as the 1031 Exchange and the Opportunity Zone incentive. A 1031 Exchange allows an investor to defer payment of capital gains by reinvesting the proceeds of an appreciated property to acquire a like-kind replacement property. The Opportunity Zone incentive offers tax breaks for investment in low-income census tracts. The longer an investor holds the investment in a qualified opportunity zone, the greater the tax benefits. That includes the possibility of permanently excluding the gain when the qualified investment is sold or exchanged after 10 years.

6. Creative Funding: There are multiple financing solutions for obtaining real estate. Traditional real estate financing is often accomplished through a conventional bank loan, but there are several other options available, including, but not limited, to:

• Private Money Lenders: Money from private investors is leveraged for a predetermined interest rate and a shorter-than-usual payback time, generally a few months to a year. Acquisitions involving real estate investments are the main reason for this kind of funding.

• Hard Money Lenders: This type of financing is often used by home flippers with less-than-perfect financial histories who need a short-term loan for home renovations. It generally includes costs on top of the loan interest.

• Seller Carryback Financing: The seller of a property provides financing to the buyer, instead of the buyer obtaining financing through a bank or mortgage company.

• Rent-to-Own: A written contract that allows prospective homebuyers to rent a property for a period of time (commonly, two to five years) before owning it. For more information about rent-to-own agreements, click here.

There are also several government agencies that provide housing loans and mortgage assistance programs.

7. Title Insurance as a Risk Mitigator: Title insurance is important because it helps to mitigate risks by ensuring that the property you are purchasing or refinancing has a clear and marketable title. Even after the most meticulous search of public records, there can be hidden title defects, such as tax liens, forged signatures and recording errors. These title defects can remain undiscovered for months, or even years, after you purchase the home. Without having title insurance in place, property owners risk incurring extensive legal fees or losing their entire investment.

If you’re a prospective homebuyer or real estate investor looking for answers to FAQs about title insurance, click here. You can also debunk eight common misconceptions about title insurance here, or explore common title problems and how title insurance protects your investment here.

When deciding whether to purchase real estate, don’t forget to weigh the pros with the cons. Doing so can help you answer the question, “Is real estate a good investment for me?” In many cases, the answer may be, “Yes!” According to the National Association of REALTORS^® 2023 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, 82 percent of homebuyers continue to see purchasing a home as a good financial investment. Regardless of where you stand right now, if or when you choose to move forward, always do your homework and strongly consider consulting a real estate and tax expert to cover all your bases.

When you’re ready to make a move, Old Republic Title will be here to protect your property rights. We have a nationwide network of professionals who understand how important your investment is and offer products and services that fit your needs. To learn more about title insurance and working with Old Republic Title, contact a representative near you.

Email Impersonation Fraud: A Growing Tactic

Employees and customers alike beware! Email impersonation is on the rise – and hackers are constantly finding new ways to trick their targets, like in the scenario below.

The Scenario

John Baker was nearing the close on the sale of his home. He had one more task to complete before his signing appointment the next day – initiate a wire transfer for his closing costs. He was in line at the bank when he received an unexpected email from his title agent, Rob Lee:

Although a bit frustrated by the mistake, John felt fortunate that he saw the email before he reached the teller’s window and was able to update the bank account before wiring his closing funds.

The next morning, John walked into 123 Title Company where Rob Lee worked, excited for his signing appointment. As soon as Rob walked into the lobby to greet John, he said, “We haven’t received your wire. Did you send it?” John was baffled and replied, “I don’t know why not. I sent it yesterday with the updated information you sent me.” Rob’s facial expression immediately turned from confusion to fear. “I didn’t send you an email yesterday,” he stated. John replied “Yes, you did,” as he reached for his phone. He pulled up the email and handed the phone over to Rob. Rob looked up and said, “This isn’t good. I didn’t send this email.”

After discussing the incident, it was apparent that John and Rob were victims of a business email compromise (BEC) impersonation attack – a type of phishing attack where a malicious actor creates an email address that looks like it came from a legitimate business and impersonates an employee to fool consumers into diverting funds into a bank account owned by the fraudster. In this situation, the urgent request for change in wire instructions came from the email address roblee@123TiteCompany.com, but Rob Lee’s email address is roblee@123TitleCompany.com. The fraudster’s email was missing the “l” in “Title.” The phone number in the message also didn’t belong to Rob. Luckily, Rob promptly followed company wire fraud procedures and was able to recover John’s funds.

A Growing Tactic

While the names and details in the scenario above are for illustrative purposes, they are based on real events. Unfortunately, this scenario is only one of several types of email impersonation tactics seen in the real estate and title industries. Fraudsters aren’t just impersonating title professionals, but all parties to a real estate transaction, even the buyer and seller.

How to Outsmart the Fraudsters

Always be wary of unexpected communications that urge you to take immediate action – even if they appear to come from someone you know. Cybercriminals are super sneaky, so it’s up to us to stay one step ahead by following these best practices:

• Educate yourself on emerging schemes. Click here to learn more from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) about common scams and crimes, and how to prevent them.

• Practice good cyber hygiene. To help mitigate cybersecurity risks, implement good cyber hygiene habits like using strong and complex passwords, protect email accounts with multi-factor authentication (MFA) and using a virtual private network (VPN) when connecting to the public wi-fi. For more cyber hygiene tips, click here.

• Learn to recognize red flags. While phishing schemes are constantly evolving, most attempts include urgent requests and unexpected emails. Last-minute changes in wire instructions, like the one that John received in the story, are another telltale sign of fraud.

• Stay vigilant. Cybercriminals know we’re all multitasking, and they’re hoping we’re too busy to stop and question requests that appear to come from someone we know. Don’t fall for it!

• Never use contact information in an unexpected communication – even if you recognize the sender or have done business with them in the past. You can never really be sure who is on the other end of that communication, so it’s best to disengage and go straight to the source.

• Always call a TRUSTED phone number to verify the request BEFORE acting on it. If John would have called Rob using a trusted phone number to verify the change in wire instructions, he would have avoided exposing himself to fraud and potential loss.

Pro Tip: Customers should reference the list of phone numbers provided by their title professional when they open escrow.

Don’t worry about looking silly or offending anyone by double checking unexpected requests; true professionals will understand and appreciate the effort you put into verifying the request. If the company is unaware that someone is impersonating a current or former employee, reporting it gives them the opportunity to warn others and take steps to mitigate the fraud. (Which kind of makes you a hero, too!)

To learn more about common cybersecurity threats to your business, click here. Real estate customers can also check out these tips for preventing wire fraud, which often starts with business email compromise and email impersonation.

In recent years, there has been a significant increase in large organizations looking to reduce their carbon footprint. This has led several industrial and multinational organizations to negotiate Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) directly with renewable energy project producers. PPAs offer organizations significant benefits, but they also come with some disadvantages. Is a PPA the right choice to fuel your corporate sustainability strategy? To help answer that question, we’ve compiled some important information for you to consider.

What is a Power Purchase Agreement and How Does it Work?

A Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) is a contractual agreement between two parties for the purchase of power generated by a renewable energy system, such as solar, hydro or wind power. The third-party generator owns and operates the renewable energy system and sells the system’s electric output to the customer, generally at a fixed rate for a specified duration of time. PPAs are most often a long-term period between 10 and 25 years, but shorter-term PPAs have been gaining traction.

There are different types of PPAs that vary based on the type and location of the renewable energy project and the amount of electricity delivered to the customer. The two basic types of PPAs are physical and virtual (also known as a financial or synthetic PPA).

• Physical PPAs allow a third-party power generator to build, maintain and operate a renewable energy system on behalf of an organization. Physical PPAs can be on-site or off-site. An on-site PPA generates electricity at or close to the place of consumption via a private-use cable. Off-site PPAs generate electricity at a different location, then transmit electricity via the public grid.

• Virtual PPAs allow a purchaser to acquire the renewable energy attributes of a project, rather than the electricity itself. The purchaser continues to receive electricity through the local utility provider but generally agrees to a fixed price with a renewable energy generator.

In both cases, a PPA allows organizations to enjoy the advantages of renewable energy without owning and operating a renewable energy system. In this blog, we focus on physical PPAs and what they entail for businesses exploring this option.

Physical PPA Eligibility

Some state regulations limit or restrict non-utility providers from selling electric power. To be eligible for a physical PPA, a renewable energy project must be located in a state or jurisdiction where third-party ownership of energy generation equipment is permitted. To find out if PPAs are available in your area, click here.

Considerations of a Physical PPA

Before entering into a physical PPA, it’s important that both parties evaluate all aspects of the terms of the contract, including any potential technical and financial risks, as each project and transaction will be unique. Some important considerations for a purchaser to keep in mind before entering into a physical PPA include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Upfront costs: Most PPAs require minimal to no money down and no payments until the renewable energy system begins to generate electricity.

• Stable and reduced energy bill: The electricity generated by the renewable energy system is typically sold to the purchaser at a fixed rate that is generally lower than rates offered by a utility company. The purchaser benefits from receiving stable energy at a low, predictable price for the duration of time specified in the PPA.

• Risk exposure: Fully evaluate the terms of the PPA and any associated risk exposure. Risks associated with PPAs often fall within the following categories: development, performance, pricing, length of contract, and legal and regulatory concerns.

• Government incentives: Federal, state and local governments encourage organizations to invest in renewable energy and may offer incentives for doing so. Incentives enabled through the Inflation Reduction Act, for instance, offer eligible organizations an Investment Tax Credit or Production Tax Credit to help offset the tax liability of investing in renewable energy. Grant and loan programs from federal government agencies such as the U.S. Department of Energy are also available, along with a host of state and local financial incentives. You can visit the Database of State Incentives for Renewable & Efficiency^® (DSIRE) to identify any incentives in your area.

• Location: PPAs are largely restricted to organizations located in competitive electricity markets. In some instances, the organization must be located in the same power grid region where the electricity will be consumed. There are also state regulations that limit or restrict non-utility providers from selling electric power.

• Duration of time: The average duration of a physical PPA is 10 years or more, so if the organization needs to relocate to another property, or any other unforeseen issue occurs, it could pose some challenges.

• Contract complexity: PPAs are complex financing tools that include multiple facets of terms and conditions, including, but not limited to: pricing, third-party sales, underperformance or delays of generated power, breach of contract and termination.

• Making claims about renewable energy use: Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) are used to account, track and assign ownership to renewable energy projects. Generally, for physical PPAs, RECs are conveyed to the power generator and not the purchaser. Accordingly, the purchaser may not be able to make renewable energy claims without obtaining exclusive rights to the associated RECs.

PPAs can offer organizations a credible way to meet their sustainability goals while also reducing their utility costs. Organizations considering a PPA may benefit from conducting a close analysis of the resources available to them and consulting with qualified legal counsel and a tax professional to evaluate the financial benefits and implications of these renewable energy financing tools.

Old Republic Title’s National Energy Title Division is a significant industry player when it comes to insuring title for renewable energy projects. Our dedicated team of professionals understands the unique risks and requirements of large energy projects, and has the knowledge, experience and expertise to successfully underwrite and close complex, high-liability transactions. For more information, visit oldrepublictitle.com/commercial/ncs/#energy.