A real estate transaction has one key component: title search. The purpose of this is to verify whether the seller holds clear ownership of the property. Moreover, it also helps you know if there are any legal claims, like easements or liens, on the property. For decades, the process of title search has been labour-intensive and slow. It required an in-depth review of all physical records. It was a long and tedious process. Thankfully, the advancement of digital technology is revolutionising title searches. It is changing title search into an accurate, faster, and procedure that is user-friendly. This blog talks about the evaluation of the process from paper to digital and how it is benefiting everyone involved.
Property title searches using paperwork
Before digitalisation took over, property title searches were a labour-intensive procedure done manually. The person conducting the research had to visit local government offices, county clerk offices, courthouses, look for tax records, and more. Going through all this paper in person and relying on handwritten documents is tricky. It is especially hard because you might find the records in extremely bad conditions and have no way of conducting further research.
Moreover, you also required legal expertise because property records span several deceased and involve legal language, which is quite complex. It also has layers of ownership transfers, which makes this task slow, and one error can and will lead to legal disputes or even result in failure.
Digitisation of Property Title Search Process
Digitising the records was the first major change in the title search process. It happened in the late 20th century when government agencies and county record offices started digitising the records. It created electronic databases, which you could search remotely. It was the beginning, so it wasn’t perfect, but they laid out the groundwork for efficient searches.
This digitisation ensured title searches didn’t require visits to multiple offices to check the documents. Rather, they can search through these digital databases, saving time and money while retrieving the records. Moreover, with this change, there was a decrease in human error as digital records are organised systematically and do not get lost or misfiled (the chances are less).
After the government, companies known for title insurance also started creating proprietary databases for tracking legal claims and property ownership. With the help of these databases, from a single source, you get all the details, which streamlines the process.
Automation of title searches
All the above innovations set the field for the integration of artificial intelligence and cloud computing in title searches in the 21st century. Now, most searches for titles are done using fully digital platforms that increase the process related to property records, tax data, legal filings, and more. It makes database access easier.
With the use of AI, the changes in title searches have been momentous. Using AI-powered algorithms, Quickie scans all the massive data you have to find issues like unpaid taxes, ownership disputes, and liens. When these processes are automated, it reduces the time needed to conduct title searches, along with increasing the accuracy of the process. With the digitisation of the process, the thing that used to take hours or weeks is now completed in days. This is the reason digital solutions are overtaking paperwork.
The Benefits of Current Digital Solutions
Apart from saving time and reducing human errors, what are the other benefits of going digital with your property title search? Here are some benefits:
The speed has increased. In the past, the process of searching for titles and discrepancies in it was a tedious and time-consuming process. However, now it is efficient and fast, reducing delays in real estate transactions. This makes the buyers and sellers trust the process more.
The second benefit is the accuracy of the process with a digital system. There is definitely a reduction in human error. This ensures the searches are reliable. It also has automated alerts, which notify title searchers of any issues within no time.
Another advantage of going digital is cost efficiency. It does not require much labour, so it lowers the cost of doing the search, making it accessible and affordable.
Conclusion
The evolution of property title search from paperwork to digital has seriously revolutionised the real estate industry. The shift was gradual but necessary. From manual and paper-based processes to AI-driven systems, it has improved the accuracy, accessibility, and accuracy of title searches. The technology is still advancing, as blockchain and AI integration are also happening. So, in the future, title searches will become more transparent and efficient. These changes help everyone, from owners to sellers to professionals.
