both · Philadelphia & Montgomery
Title, deeds, and why the ownership history matters
What the title company is doing during those quiet weeks, and what the one-time premium buys you.
In this lesson
The searchThe insuranceIs owner's title insurance required?The search
Before closing, the title company searches the property's recorded history: prior deeds, mortgages, liens, judgments, and unpaid municipal balances. In a region with housing stock this old, finds are routine — an unsatisfied mortgage from 1994, a contractor's lien, a municipal water balance — and nearly all get cured before settlement. That curing is why closings need those quiet weeks.
The insurance
Title insurance covers what the search can't see: forged signatures decades back, missed heirs, recording errors. One premium at closing, coverage for as long as you own. The lender's policy protects the bank and is required; the owner's policy protects your equity and is the one to understand — in PA both are priced from state-filed rates, so shopping is about service more than price.
At settlement you'll receive the deed — in PA usually recorded by the title company with your county afterward. The recorded deed, not the keys, is what makes it officially yours.
Is owner's title insurance required?
Is owner's title insurance required?
No — but skipping it to save a fraction of a percent, on the asset you just leveraged, is a false economy we don't recommend.
General education, not legal, tax or financial advice. Your contract and circumstances matter. Confirm current requirements with your lender, settlement professional or qualified adviser.