Metro Detroit’s Trusted Title Agency & Closing Company
For over 30 years, Title One, Inc. has delivered accurate title searches, strong title insurance, and on-time closings across Metro Detroit. As a relationship-driven real estate title agency, we meet you face-to-face, explain every step, and keep your deal moving, no matter the refinance market.
With offices in Livonia, Dearborn Heights, and Sterling Heights, our local title company coordinates everything from residential purchases and FSBO to new construction and commercial transactions. Start your closing with confidence today.
Our Title Services
Title One is a local company offering high-quality title services, including, but not limited to, title searches and title insurance policies. Explore your real estate title options by calling or visiting one of our Metro Detroit offices today.
Answering Metro Detroit’s Title FAQs
Obtaining a title for your home or other property in the Metro Detroit area can spark many questions. Fortunately, the Title One team is here to answer them. If you don’t see your question below, feel free to contact us. We’d be happy to help you find the answer you’re looking for.
A title is your legal right to own, use, and transfer a property. It is a legal status, not a paper document. A deed is the signed and recorded instrument that conveys those rights from seller to buyer. Common deed types include general warranty, special warranty, and quitclaim, which offer different levels of seller assurances.
After closing, the deed is recorded by the county, updating the public record. You then receive an owner’s title insurance policy that helps protect against covered, pre-existing defects.
To accommodate various real estate transactions, there are several types of titles, including:
- Joint Tenants – When parties own a property as joint tenants and one party dies, the other party gets the property. If one party deeds out during his/her lifetime, it breaks the joint tenancy, and the other person he/she deeds to will be a tenant in common with the former joint tenant.
- Joint Tenants with Full Rights of Survivorship – The parties create a contract that cannot be severed. If one party deeds out, the tenancy is not broken but passes on to the new tenant. If one party dies, the other party gets the property. The key difference between Joint Tenants and Joint Tenants with full rights of survivorship is the Joint Tenancy created with full rights of survivorship cannot be broken.
- Tenants in Common – This is an inheritable state, in which each party has a separate and distinct interest that will pass to their heirs. Each party’s share is based on the conveyance where their portion is stated. For example, if three parties are in title, one party may hold 50% interest, while the other two each have 25% interest.
- Tenants by the Entirety – Tenancy created by the phrase “husband and wife” or something of that nature. It creates concurrent ownership enjoyed by a husband and wife.
A title expert, like those at Title One, can help you determine which type is best for your situation. Call or visit one of our offices to explore your title options further.
A title examination, also called a title search, is a detailed review of public records to confirm legal ownership and uncover issues that could delay closing. The process involves your title agency verifying the chain of title through prior transfers, checking for mortgages, tax and HOA liens, and judgments, and confirming the legal description along with any recorded easements or restrictions.
The result is a title commitment that lists what we will insure, what must be cleared before closing, and any exceptions that remain. Based on the examination, we’ll explain the findings to you in plain language and outline the documents and steps needed to clear any items. We’ll also coordinate payoffs or releases and update you on timing until the title is clear to close.
When you’re ready to start, we’ll walk you through gathering a few basics. You may be asked to provide:
- The purchase agreement, showing the purchase price and any addenda.
- Government-issued IDs and contact details for buyers, sellers, and agents.
- Property information, including the address and, if available, parcel/Tax ID.
- Details for any mortgage lenders, or note that it’s a cash purchase.
- HOA/condo information and management contacts, if applicable.
- Payoff statements for existing mortgages, liens, or judgments.
- Prior title policy – if you have one, it can speed up the search.
- Entity or trust documents if buying/selling in an LLC, corporation, or trust.
- Estate/divorce documentation, if relevant.
We’ll use these to confirm ownership, clear issues, and provide a clear estimate of closing costs before you sign.
This is common and usually fixable. Our team will explain what it means and outline the next steps:
- Identify the creditor – We confirm the lienholder or any mortgage lenders tied to the property.
- Request payoffs and releases – We obtain official payoff statements and the required discharges.
- Correct recording gaps – If an old mortgage was paid but never released, we secure and record proof.
- Use escrow if timing is tight – Funds can be held until the release is on record, so your closing can proceed.
- Clarify the impact – We’ll review any effect on closing costs, your proceeds, and the timeline relative to your purchase price.
- Your role – You may be asked for limited items (e.g., authorization to request payoffs), and we’ll guide you step by step.
Our goal is to keep you informed, remove surprises, and keep your closing on schedule.
Explore Your Title Options
No matter what your real estate title needs are, Title One can meet them. Start exploring your title options in the Metro Detroit area today! Complete the form below, and a member of our team will get back to you shortly.