Buying & Selling Real Estate in Washington

What is “real estate title?”


Simply defined, real estate title is evidence of legal ownership. When buying real estate, it is important to assure your right to occupy, use or eventually resell it without interference. Previous ownership and a title's “marketability” can be verified by a title search.

Title insurance offers protection against financial loss and expense of defending your title in court. Issued by a title insurance company following a search through records of previous ownership, such policies have various terms, provisions and types of coverage. Some risks, such as unrecorded easements or zoning and use restrictions, may not be covered by “standard” title insurance. You may wish to obtain “extended” title insurance or an additional homebuyer's “endorsement”.