title claim tip....

If you are selling your property and your buyer's title insurance agent says there is a pre-existing lien that you need to pay and they want you to just pay for it then file a title insurance claim later, DON'T DO IT. Sometimes the buyer's title insurance agent is wrong.

The first job of a title insurance company when faced with a possible lien is to determine if the lien is valid.  If the lien is valid and it's covered by your title insurance, then they will pay it for you.  If, however, the title insurance company determines that the lien is not valid, they will explain this to the buyer's title insurance agent and help you to proceed with your transaction and close.

If you simply agree to pay for the lien and expect to recover from your title insurance and it is determined that the lien was not valid, you won't recover your funds.

We most often see this in PA with municipal services.  There is a 3 year window for filing municipal liens for things like water and sewage service.  If the municipal authority fails to file a lien in that 3 year window, they can't attach the unpaid balance to the property.  Just because they ask for the money on a lien letter doesn't mean that it must be paid.  A simple discussion with their solicitor usually resolves the matter.

We have a pending claim in our office concerning PA inheritance taxes.  In this case an attorney/title insurance agent who was representing both buyer and seller in a transaction found what he thought was a valid lien, paid it from the seller proceeds and then told the seller [our insured] after closing to recover the funds under their policy.  The claim isn't formally resolved but from the moment it hit our office and we sent it to the claims department, at every level each person who reviews it, says it isn't a valid lien and they don't understand why the attorney paid it.  He could have held the funds in escrow while his sellers filed a claim.

So, don't let the money out of the door before talking with your title insurer.

What about those liens discovered after closing?

Hi Diane,

I short sold my house in July 2011 and it was found in the County Tax Bill that the City had a Lien on the property for past due sanitary charges. I was not aware of the charges or lien. Chicago Title was used by the buyer for title search and they did not find any liens on the title either. Now the Title Company has paid the lien in full but are requesting me (Seller) to pay them the lien amount or they will use Attorney and collection and I will incur additional charges. I was always been told that if there are any liens found after the Close of Escrow it is the responsibility of the Title Insurance Company. Are they allowed per Law in the State of California to recover any amounts they paid for failing to find the lien prior to close of escrow. Please let me know what is your recommendation.

Thanks,

Anonymous

Hi, Anon:

From the perspective of the buyer who purchased the insurance, yes, the liens discovered post closing would be the responsibility of the title insurance company, however this insurance does not extend to the seller.

Even if you were unaware of the lien, the responsibility still rests with the owner of the real estate.  If a foreclosure had taken place, depending on the laws of your state this lien may or may not have survived foreclosure.  In Pennsylvania, the mortgage lender who foreclosed would have had to pay it.

So, in the short sale, only the mortgage lien was released.  Any other liens, even if found after closing, stay attached to the real estate.  For this reason, title companies insist upon warranty deeds and affidavits.  In these documents you would have given a personal guaranty of title.  It is the warranties in the deed and other affidavits you signed at closing would be the basis for legal action against you.  If you did not sign any affidavits or give a warranty deed, you might have a defense.  In either case, you may wish to talk with an attorney.  Some times the size of the lien determines how much effort the title company wants to expend in collection.  Having an attorney at your side does present a more formidable challenge.  

Good luck and I wish you well.

Diane