A real estate title is a legal document that certifies that you are the legal owner of a piece of real estate. You have access to the property, whether partially or fully, and can make changes as you see fit. You can also give that ownership to someone else. If you have partial ownership, you can only transfer your portion.

The title company conducts a search to ensure that the property’s title is legal and legitimate. They check to see if the house belongs to the person selling it to you and if they have the legal authority to sell it. There are sometimes stumbling blocks to selling a home, such as an outstanding mortgage, unpaid property taxes, or other liens on the property.