American Documents & Title has provided thousands of these searches to our clients. We can deliver foreclosure searches on a nationwide basis.
A foreclosure search is done as some form of Title Search which is described on the appropriate web page above. The client and more often the client’s client will designate the length of the search. In some cases it is as short as a current owner search. Or it can be as long as a full search which is 40-60 years, depending on the jurisdiction involved.
After we determine the length of the search then we identify any other special requirements that must be included to meet the client’s needs once they reach the foreclosure hearings. This might include full copies (rather than key pages) of all open mortgages, assignments and other related documents. Usually complete copies of all valid judgments are required instead of simple abstracts. In most cases we are required to gather data on all probate records which affect someone in the chain of title for as far back as was established by the client. In some cases the probate might be filed in a different county than where the property is located. Actually the same situation can occur with judgments and other liens. This often requires that more than one search be done and often this will require us to use more than one abstractor to complete our objective. But we do whatever is required to help our client arrive in the foreclosure hearing with all needed information to hand.
As indicated, the exact requirements for a properly done foreclosure search can vary from client to client and from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. To handle this we work very closely with the client to lay out the exact requirements on a standardized order form that we in turn send to our abstractors. Then as we move forward doing the foreclosure searches for a given client, we often find that we need to make additions and changes to the order forms to constantly upgrade our work as we go along.
In summary, we tailor-make the order forms to meet the clients needs and then we upgrade as needed and finally we run tight control on our abstractors to make sure that they actually read our detailed order forms and deliver a report that can then be relied on by our client to then do the necessary legal work to complete the foreclosure.
