Video Transcript:
This is Dave again at title search dot com. The question comes up quite frequently, "What is the difference between a title search and a document retrieval?" On real estate, the documents that go into recording the history of a property are recorded individually as individual events. A title search is the process of retrieving all of the documents that are part of that appropriate history and creating a new document called the title abstract. It starts with a document retrieval. For example, one document on a property might be the deed. The deed evidences the ownership transfer from one party to another, but that's only the beginning. After that transfer, there may be liens, there may be mortgages, there may be other records recorded, that are each an individual document. So if a client or a party needs a document by itself, they may order a document retrieval. They may say, "Look, we need document number one, two, three, four." That will tell us about the mortgage. However, that document by itself won't say if that mortgage was ever released, because that will be on a separate document showing that the mortgage was released or even assigned to another party or to be financed. So a title search will compile all those documents. It starts with document retrieval individually, and then those individual documents are analyzed or abstracted into the official title search. Now, the official title search is called an abstract. That is a document that's not part of the public records. It's not something you'll find in the land records, in the courthouse, or anywhere. It's something created by a professional certified title abstractor, which will take all of the individual documents that were retrieved and create that abstract of title or the abstract of property to give the viewer or the reader an idea of what the status might be. Doc retrieval, on the other hand, means different things depending on the scenario. For example if a document is specified by an actual document number, a book and a page, or reference number, it's very simple to find that book, open to that page, and pull that document out. If the document is only known by address -if somebody says, "Look, we need the mortgage on 12 Main Street," -it may be more difficult to find that mortgage because first we have to find what book it's in, what page it's on, and even which mortgage is being referenced because there might be more than one mortgage on that property. If a mortgage is only referenced by name, it may be even more difficult because there might be more than one mortgage in that particular name. So, if it gets to be where a doc retrieval is more than just a book and a page, it's usually more beneficial and even more cost-effective just to order a full title search, get all the documents on that property, find out what's open, what's closed, and even what other documents refer to the one that's under inspection. For example, one mortgage, even if it's retrieved by itself, may have other documents which refer to it or refer back from it. So a doc retrieval gives limited information. It doesn't have any information or facts about other records on that property, such as liens, that won't show up on a deed. So the difference between a title search and document retrieval is pretty significant. You can contact us at titlesearch.com if you have any other questions about title searching or document retrieval.