Anytime you invest in a big ticket item — a flat screen TV, power tools, jewelry — you tend to hang on to your receipt, right? You know, just in case you need to show proof of purchase later on. So it makes sense that when you buy a home, you’d also want a receipt of sorts—a document that shows you are the rightful owner of your dream home and that all debts have been paid. In the real estate world, this proof of purchase is known as a title, and when you buy a home you “take the title” in the form of a deed that transfers ownership to you.
Getting the “receipt” to your home is an exciting moment. You not only become the title holder (proof that the home is really yours!), but you also add a new link to the chain of the title (a property’s historical ownership timeline), cementing your place in history as a property owner. The title transfer process is simple, but as one of the last steps in the process, it’s normal to feel intimidated (especially if you’re a first-time home buyer). So we’ll break it down for you.