What Is a Defective Title?

The term “defective title” refers to an impaired title on a piece of property or other asset. The defect or impairment on the title can be in the form of a lien, mortgage, judgment, or other type of 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:encumbrance. Because other parties can ౠlay claim to the property or asset, the title cannot be legall🙈y transferred to someone else.

Defective titles are also called bad titles.

Understanding Defective Titles

“Title” is a legal term referring to the ownership of a 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:tangible asset, such as a vehicle or a piece of 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:real estate, or certain 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:intangible assets, such as 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:trademarks. Having a 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:clear title is necessary if the owner of the property wants to sell it. But a title is considered defective when some type of black mark 🃏is recorded against it.

Types of Title Defects

Title defects often come in the form of liens, mortgages, or judgments. Defective titles may also include other claims, such as when a third party tries to establish an estate right title or an interest iﷺn opposition to the owner’s claim to the property.✤ The title may also be defective if the proper procedures for filing real estate documents were not followed. Other issues that may cloud a title include:

• Inconsistencies between the wording of a deed or a 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:certificate of title and local legal standards
• Wording that makes the true identity of the property owner unclear
• Missing signatures of a spouse or other co-owner

How Are Defective Titles Remedied?

A dღefective title is considered unmarketable. This means that the title—and therefore, the property—can’t be legally transferred or sold to another party𒁏 until the defect is fixed.

If the titleholder wants to be able to do anything with the asset, they must first take care of any and all encumbrances. This can happen with any type of title, including 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:quitclaim deeds, w𒈔hich can transfer ownership of an asset e🍌ven when it’s not sold.

For example, a homeowner cannot sell a home if there is a tax lien on the property. They would have to take care of the outstanding taxes to remove the lien and go through with the sale. If the titleholder decides to sell an asset with a defective title, they may be held꧂ liable for any damages as a result. The seller may also lose all rights to the title itself.

If a property’s ownership is in question, the owner can hire a title company or an attorney to perform a 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:title search. If that proves to be inconclusive, the property holder can pursue legal action. This is called a 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:quiet title action, and it puts the decision of determining the true titleholder൩ in the hands of the court.