Our Searches:
Our Property Research Reports are more commonly referred to as municipal lien searches. These searches are a requirement by Title Underwriters and once completed will satisfy the Chapter 159 exception on the standard title policy.
Estoppel and Survey Services Available!!!
What is a Municipal Lien Search?
A Municipal and County lien search is performed to determine if there are any unrecorded liens that may impact a property after a closing. These fees include but are not limited to utilities, solid waste and special assessments. Completing a lien search will also aid the title agent in deleting the Chapter 159 exception from the title policy.
Code Enforcement Violations & Liens
This search is completed to verify that there are not any current/old active violations with the Municipality Code Enforcement department on the property that could result in fines or liens.
In Many instances, a property could have had a previous violation that has been rectified and the property is no longer in violation, but the past fees that were incurred were never paid.
Property & Tangible Taxes
This search is completed to provide the most recent and accurate real estate and tangible property tax information. This information is obtained from the specific Tax Collectors office and will include current taxes paid, unpaid balances for prior years taxes and any unpaid tax certificates.
Permit Search
A permit search is completed to determine whether all permits on a property were closed/completed fully by obtaining all final inspections, certificate of occupancies as well as all fees due to the county/city associated with the permit.
Special Assessments
Special assessments are referred to as the method the city incorporates to pay for infrastructure improvements that will benefit a property. Special assessments are different than property taxes. Examples include: road improvements, water main replacement and flood protection projects. The costs associated with these projects are divided among properties that benefit from them. Our search is completed to verify if there are any special assessments attached to the property.
Utility Payoff/Search
A utility search is completed to obtain all current and past due utility balances. In addition this search will provide any unrecorded utility liens that may be attached to the property.
Satisfaction of Mortgage Requests
A Satisfaction of Mortgage Request is completed to contact the mortgage company holding a certain mortgage that has been paid in full and a satisfaction of mortgage/lien release has not been recorded of public record to release said mortgage.
Your Satisfaction is recorded under the names of the borrower/mortgagor on the original loan. If your Mortgage was an assumed loan, the Satisfaction will list names of the original borrower(s)/mortgagor(s)–not the current borrower(s)/mortgagor(s).
If it has been more than six (6) weeks since you paid off your loan and we are unable to locate your recorded Satisfaction, you will need to contact your mortgage company.
Florida Statue 701.04 Cancellation of mortgages, liens, and judgments.—(1) Within 14 days after receipt of the written request of a mortgagor, the holder of a mortgage shall deliver to the mortgagor at a place designated in the written request an estoppel letter setting forth the unpaid balance of the loan secured by the mortgage, including principal, interest, and any other charges properly due under or secured by the mortgage and interest on a per-day basis for the unpaid balance. Whenever the amount of money due on any mortgage, lien, or judgment shall be fully paid to the person or party entitled to the payment thereof, the mortgagee, creditor, or assignee, or the attorney of record in the case of a judgment, to whom such payment shall have been made, shall execute in writing an instrument acknowledging satisfaction of said mortgage, lien, or judgment and have the same acknowledged, or proven, and duly entered of record in the book provided by law for such purposes in the proper county. Within 60 days of the date of receipt of the full payment of the mortgage, lien, or judgment, the person required to acknowledge satisfaction of the mortgage, lien, or judgment shall send or cause to be sent the recorded satisfaction to the person who has made the full payment. In the case of a civil action arising out of the provisions of this section, the prevailing party shall be entitled to attorney’s fees and costs.