Frequently Asked Questions

Title insurance protects homeowners’ rights in the event that another party tries to claim they have full or partial ownership of the property title. It also insures the title from challenges and problems arising from liens, fraud, forgery, encroachment, and more.

There are two types of title insurance: owner’s title insurance (if you purchase a property without a loan) and lender’s title insurance (if you purchase a property with a loan). Some states, including Florida, require property owners to have lender’s title insurance. However, even if you are able to pay for a property in cash, title insurance is still recommended as it helps ensure the legitimacy of real estate transactions and protects your rights as the owner. 

Title insurance is typically obtained during the closing process. Your title agent can help research for any defects associated with the property title (such as an unknown co-owner or forged property title documents) and write a policy that protects you in the future if unforeseen issues arise.

The cost of title insurance varies as it is typically priced based on a percentage of the cost of your new home. On average, this is around 0.5%. Typically you will pay a one-time fee for the policy which lasts throughout the duration of your home ownership.

Escrow improves the security of real estate transactions by utilizing a third party to transfer funds from the buyer to the seller. The escrow agent holds onto the funds in a secured account until both parties have met the terms of the contractual agreement. In doing so, the buyer and seller can rest assured that they will not lose money during the transaction.

No, you are not required to use an escrow company when buying a house. However, it is highly recommended that you do. An escrow company serves as a trusted, neutral third party that oversees the transfer of the property from the seller to the buyer. This includes securely holding the down payment until all terms of the agreement have been met between the buyer and seller and transferring the property title and all other relevant documents to the buyer upon receipt of payment. Without an escrow agent, buyers and sellers risk the potential of losing a large amount of money.

The cost of using escrow varies as it is usually based on a percentage of the cost of the home. On average, the escrow fee is usually 1 to 2% of the property’s purchase price. This cost is usually shared between the buyer and seller.