{"id":21502,"date":"2021-01-27T17:34:29","date_gmt":"2021-01-28T01:34:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/?p=21502"},"modified":"2026-04-17T07:28:52","modified_gmt":"2026-04-17T14:28:52","slug":"property-title-transfer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/property-title-transfer\/","title":{"rendered":"Property Title Transfers 101: Breeze Through This Necessary Closing Step"},"content":{"rendered":"

You received a rock-solid offer on your home, passed inspection<\/a> with flying colors, and are ready to hand off the keys to your buyer. All that\u2019s left to do is the property title transfer.<\/p>\n

Holding title<\/a> to a home signifies that you have legal ownership of a home. The concept of \u201ctitle\u201d includes a \u201cbundle of rights<\/a>\u201d that gets transferred from the seller to the buyer, including the right of possession, control, exclusion, enjoyment, and disposition. In layman\u2019s terms, these rights mean you own the property, can use and enjoy it as you please (legally), tell people to get off your property, and eventually sell it. When you sell a house, you transfer the title, thereby transferring ownership.<\/p>\n

Property title transfer is a necessary step in every home sale. Still, despite its commonality, title and deed issues account for 11% of closing delays<\/a>, according to the National Association of Realtors.<\/p>\n

With expert insight from a top real estate agent, we\u2019ll walk you through how to correctly execute a property title transfer so you can wrap your home sale and move on to your next adventure.<\/p>\n

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<\/a> Source: (Christina @ wocintechchat.com \/ Unsplash)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Step #1: Find a top settlement agent to spearhead the property title transfer<\/h2>\n

To transfer your property title, you\u2019ll need to hire a settlement agent, such as an escrow title company<\/a> or a closing attorney. Closing procedures, including property title transfers, vary by state<\/a>. The settlement agent will analyze public records<\/a> on the property\u2019s history to bring to light any documentation, liens, or encumbrances tied to a house and prepare the necessary deeds to transfer title.<\/p>\n

Madalyn Suits<\/a>, a top-selling agent in Atlanta, GA<\/a>, advises sellers to ask their real estate agent to refer them to settlement agents in their network. Suits, who works in Georgia, a well-known closing attorney state, always connects her clients to vetted closing attorneys who have significant experience working with title companies:<\/p>\n

\u201cGenerally, we use attorneys who have been in the business for 25 to 30 years . . . It\u2019s always been our policy that we only use attorneys who have been around a long time, and we\u2019re familiar with their title policy,\u201d shares Suits, who has assisted in the title transfer of over 800 properties. She cautions sellers that some title companies and closing attorneys in the state have committed fraud and embezzlement in the past.<\/p>\n

Regardless of whether you\u2019re working with an escrow company, title company, or a closing attorney, vet your representative for the following qualities:<\/p>\n