Learning Library · Pennsylvania Essentials · lesson 4
Title, deeds, and why the ownership history matters
4 min read
What the title company is doing during those quiet weeks, and what the one-time premium buys you.
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.
Quick answers
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.
Educational content only — not legal, tax, or financial advice. Program details, rates, and tax figures change; verify current specifics before relying on them. The Woods Team · Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Fox & Roach, REALTORS® · Equal Housing Opportunity.