What We Do
What We Do
SeaGlass Title provides title, closing and escrow services for both residential and commercial real estate transactions.
What are title and closing services?
After a seller accepts a buyer’s offer, a title company will be the primary contract person between all parties and will work to oversee and perform the closing to make sure that the real estate transaction is closed without any problems. In addition, the title company works as a representative of a title insurance company in order to provide the Buyer and the lender (if applicable) with title insurance.
What is title?
Title is a person’s ownership in a piece of property and therefore their legal right to sell such property.
What is title insurance?
Title insurance is insurance that protects a buyer and/or a lender from loss or damage that they may experience because of liens, encumbrances or defects in the title to the property. Some examples of possible title defects are: (i) certain mistakes contained in legal documents; (ii) improperly recorded legal documents; (iii) forged deeds; (iv) undisclosed or missing heirs; (v) deeds by minors or persons of unsound mind; (vi) deeds executed pursuant to an invalid power of attorney; (vii) gaps in the chain of title; and (viii) fraud.
What services do we provide as the title company/closing agent?
WE WILL PROVIDE THE BUYER WITH A TITLE SEARCH
This search will search all of the available public records related to the property. The title search will verify the Seller’s right to transfer ownership, and that the Buyer is getting all of the ownership rights (title) that he/she is paying for. A title search will also discover whether there are any title issues such as unpaid taxes, unsatisfied mortgages, judgments against the Seller, and restrictions limiting the use of the land.
WE WILL PROVIDE THE BUYER WITH A MUNICIPAL LIEN SEARCH.
This search will uncover any unrecorded municipal liens, code violations, special assessments, open or expired permits, and unpaid utility fees.
WE WILL REVIEW TITLE AND WORK TO CLEAR ANY DEFECTS
If either the title search or the municipal lien search discovers any problems we will work with all necessary parties to clean up any issues that may cause a defect in marketable title insuring that the Buyer is vested with “free and clear” title at closing.
WE WILL ACT AS THE COORDINATING PARTY TO THE TRANSACTION
A real estate transaction is complex, involving many different stages and parties. Some of the parties to a real estate transaction include real estate agents, lenders, homeowners’ associations and property management companies, surveyors, and county recording offices. As title company we will act as an intermediary between all of these parties to make sure that the clothing runs smoothly. We will work with all parties to complete the tasks that are needed for closing such as paying off prior mortgages, ordering association estoppels and ordering surveys.
WE WILL PREPARE THE CLOSING DOCUMENTS.
We will prepare all of the closing documents. The closing documents include the deed, the bill of sale, various affidavits and disclosure documents and the closing statement. We will also obtain the loan package from the lender and compile all documents for closing.
WE WILL PERFORM THE CLOSING
A representative of our title company will sit down with the parties and explain any and all documents prior to them signing. Once signing is complete, we will work with any lender to provide the lender with all necessary documents to close the transaction.
WE WILL PROVIDE POST-CLOSING SERVICES
After the closing is complete, we will disburse the closing proceeds to all necessary parties in the transaction. We will also record documents, such as the deed and mortgage, in the public records of the appropriate county. We will work with Fidelity National Title Insurance Company, our underwriter, to provide the Buyer and the lender with a title policy after closing.
What is our role as Escrow Agent?
As part of our service in performing your closing, we will be glad to also act as your escrow agent to hold any required deposits in your transaction at no additional cost. All monies are handled in accordance with the strictest standards of the Florida Bar, insuring that your money is handled professionally and without incident.