A title company researching a 2024 home purchase pulls public records back to the original 1890 government patent. They map every recorded transfer in sequence: U.S. government to Smith in 1890, Smith to Jones in 1923, Jones to Williams in 1955, Williams to Park in 1981, and so on through to the current seller. Their work focuses on whether each transfer connects unbroken to the next — they are not yet evaluating defects, summaries, or court actions. The unbroken sequence they are mapping confirms that ownership has continuously passed from one owner to the next without gaps. Which concept is the title company tracing?
Correct Answer
B) Chain of title
The team is tracing the unbroken sequence of recorded transfers from the original 1890 patent to the current seller — owner to owner, no gaps. That concept — the successive recorded ownership history — is the chain of title.
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Related Topics & Key Terms
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Related Concepts
Recording is the act of placing a document in the public records at the county recorder's office to give constructive notice to the world of an interest in real property. Recording protects the holder's interest against subsequent claims.
A special warranty deed guarantees that the grantor has not caused any title defects during their period of ownership, but does not warrant against defects that existed before the grantor acquired the property.
Title insurance is a policy that protects the insured party against financial loss from defects in title that were not discovered during the title search. Unlike other insurance, it covers past events rather than future risks.
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- → A buyer records a deed at the county recorder's office. What is the primary purpose of recording?
- → A buyer drives past the property and sees someone other than the seller living there and maintaining the yard. This observation should put the buyer on what type of notice?
- → In a covered purchase transaction, the borrower receives a final form showing the loan terms, cash to close, and settlement charges shortly before consummation. What form is this?
- → Along with the signed offer, Quinn Brooks delivers a check to demonstrate serious intent to complete the transaction if the offer is accepted. What is this deposit called?
- → On a settlement statement, the buyer's earnest money reduces the remaining cash needed to close. How is that item characterized?
- → On a settlement statement, an item increases the buyer's amount due at closing. How is that item characterized?
- → On the seller's settlement statement, the purchase price of $400,000 appears as what?
- → At closing, the purchase price of $350,000 appears on the buyer's side of the settlement statement. Is this amount a debit or a credit to the buyer?
- → Under TRID rules, the lender must deliver the Closing Disclosure to the borrower at least how many business days before loan consummation?
- → In an escrow closing, the escrow agent discovers that the seller has not yet provided the signed deed. What should the escrow agent do?
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