Title problems can stall a deal faster than a blown appraisal. And in flips, they show up more often than most investors expect. Heirs. Old liens. Bad paperwork. If you’re not looking for it, it’ll find you—right when you’re ready to close.
Here’s what we see most often and how to stay ahead of it:
Unreleased Liens
You’re under contract and everything looks clean—until an old lien pops up. It might’ve been paid, but if it was never properly released, title’s stuck. That means your closing is too.
Catch it early:
Order a title search as soon as the deal goes under contract. Confirm that any past liens are officially released and recorded. Don’t rely on a seller’s word or wait for escrow to flag it last minute.
Ownership Gaps
Inherited homes, divorces, or name changes can make ownership messy. If the seller doesn’t have full legal authority to transfer the property, you’ve got a contract with no teeth.
Catch it early:
Ask where the title came from. If the seller inherited it or got it through a legal proceeding, make sure the paperwork is complete and properly recorded.
Sloppy Deeds
We see this a lot with off-market deals. Someone transfers ownership with a quitclaim deed between family or LLCs—no title company involved. The deed gets recorded, but not always cleanly.
Catch it early:
Don’t assume the last deed in the chain is valid just because it’s on file. Make sure each transfer was properly executed and notarized. A good title company will flag this fast.
Delinquent Taxes
On distressed or off-market properties, unpaid taxes are common—and they follow the property, not the owner. If they’re not paid off, you’ll have to deal with it before you close.
Catch it early:
Run a tax cert with the county. It’s quick, cheap, and gives you leverage if you’re negotiating with the seller. Don’t wait for title to drop the surprise a few days before closing.
Title issues are easy to ignore—until they stop the deal. But they’re also easy to catch when you know what to look for. Start your title review early and push your file forward with confidence.
Crebrid’s here to move fast—but never blind. If your file’s clean, we’ll keep it moving. If something’s off, we’ll tell you straight.
Flip with speed. Fund with certainty. That’s how it gets done.
