Your title questions, answered

When you buy a home, you're really buying the legal right to own it — that's the title. Title insurance protects that right against problems from the past: an old unpaid lien, a forged signature, an heir nobody knew about. You pay once at closing, and the coverage lasts for as long as you own the home. It's the only insurance that protects you from yesterday instead of tomorrow.

A lender's policy protects your mortgage lender's investment — and only theirs. It's required on almost every financed purchase, but it pays the bank, not you. An owner's policy is the one that protects your equity and your right to the home. If you're putting your own money into a property, the owner's policy is the one that has your back.

In New Jersey, the buyer customarily pays for both the owner's and lender's title policies as part of closing costs. The buyer also typically gets to choose the title company — that's you, and it's a real choice. Sellers have their own closing costs, like the realty transfer fee, but title insurance usually isn't one of them.

In New Jersey, title insurance premiums are regulated by the state, so the rate is based on your purchase price or loan amount — not on who you pick. What varies between companies is the service, the communication, and the fees around the edges. It's a one-time premium, not a recurring bill. Run your numbers in about a minute with our free estimate tool at /estimates/.

As soon as you have a signed contract — ideally the same week. Starting early gives us time to complete the search, clear any surprises, and keep your closing date safe. There's no cost to open the file early, and it takes just a few minutes at /order-title/.

We dig through decades of public records tied to the property — deeds, mortgages, court judgments, tax records, and more. We're looking for anything that could cloud your ownership: unpaid liens, open mortgages that were never discharged, boundary or easement issues, unpaid taxes, or gaps in the chain of ownership. Think of it as a full background check on the house before you commit to it.

This is where a good title team earns its keep. Most issues — an old mortgage that was paid off but never officially released, a lien from a prior owner — can be cleared before closing, and we handle that legwork. If a covered problem ever surfaces after closing, your policy's underwriter defends your title and covers the loss, up to the policy amount. Either way, you're not navigating it alone.

Escrow is a neutral holding account managed by a third party — us. Your deposit and closing funds sit there safely until every condition of the sale is met, so neither side has to just take the other's word for it. Once everything checks out at closing, the funds are released to the right parties. It's protection for everyone at the table.

You'll review and sign the final documents — the deed, loan paperwork, and settlement statement — while we coordinate the money moving between buyer, seller, and lender. We confirm every figure, record the deed with the county, and issue your title policy. Then comes the best part: the keys are yours. Most signings take about an hour, and yes, we love this part of the job.

For a typical New Jersey purchase, the search and clearance work runs alongside your mortgage timeline, so title is rarely the holdup. From order to closing-ready is often a matter of weeks, depending on the property's history and how quickly any issues resolve. We keep you posted at every step — no radio silence, no chasing us for updates.

Your new lender will require a new lender's policy, because refinancing creates a brand-new loan. The good news: your existing owner's policy stays in force, so you don't need to rebuy that. Refinance transactions are also charged under a separate, generally lower rate schedule in New Jersey. Get a quick refinance estimate at /estimates/.

In many cases, yes. Depending on your lender and transaction type, options can include remote online notarization, a mobile notary who comes to you, or a mail-away closing. Tell us your situation early and we'll map out the smoothest path — we've helped plenty of buyers close without ever leaving their couch.

Wire fraud is real, and it targets homebuyers at closing time. Our rule is simple: never wire money based on emailed instructions alone, even if the email looks like it's from us. Always call our office at (732) 895-5137 using the number from our website — not from the email — and verify the instructions verbally before sending a dime. Legitimate wire instructions don't change at the last minute; treat any 'updated' instructions as a red flag.

We do. Pennsylvania runs on its own rate structure and closing customs, so a few things work differently than in New Jersey — but our process and our people are the same. Visit /pennsylvania/ for the PA-specific details, or just call us and we'll walk you through it.