Current Owner Searches / O&E Searches
A Current Owner Search, often referred to as an O&E (Owner & Encumbrance) Search, serves as a vital tool for professionals in real estate, legal, and banking sectors who require precise details on property ownership and potential burdens. This process begins by locating the most recent deed on record or tracing the chain of deeds back to a complete transfer of ownership. By establishing this baseline, it provides a solid foundation for understanding who holds title to the property and how it has changed hands over time, helping to avoid surprises in transactions or disputes.
From there, the search advances to identify all active encumbrances that could impact the property’s value or transferability. This includes open mortgages along with their related documents, such as assignments, modifications, releases, or satisfactions. It also uncovers liens, judgments, unpaid taxes, easements, and any other recorded matters that might pose risks or restrictions. This forward-looking examination ensures a thorough overview, empowering clients to make informed decisions with confidence in the completeness of the information gathered.
To complement the findings, a detailed typed report is compiled, outlining every document discovered and its relevance to the property. Customization options allow for tailored delivery, whether that means receiving the report without any copies, full sets of all referenced documents, selected pertinent pages, or a combination suited to specific requirements. For added efficiency, everything can be sent electronically as an email attachment, facilitating quick review and integration into workflows without delays.
