Understanding the Information on Your Alberta Property Title Search Document

Purchasing or investing in land is a serious matter. As land is precious, it goes to show that most (if not all) land dealings often involve large sums of money. As such, it is but prudent to get a copy of an Alberta property title search on the piece of land in question.

An Alberta property title search document provides very useful information. It clearly states the property's owners (previous and present) and any caveats or claims against it. Alberta title property search documents also indicate one's surface rights and mineral rights on the land. Surface rights mean 'ownership' the air space above the land concerned (subject to certain rights exercised by others such as airlines). Mineral rights, on the other hand, indicate ownership of some or all of the minerals found on the land except for gold and silver, which are commonly owned by the Crown.

Dissecting the Alberta Property Title Search

As mentioned, an Alberta property title search document conveys a lot of valuable information and one of the most common reasons why someone is seeking an Alberta property title search is to check if there are any claims against it. For instance, if you are thinking of buying a particular piece of land, wouldn't you want to know if other people have claims on it? Following is a quick rundown of terms you should keep an eye out for.

A builders’ lien on the Alberta property title search document pertains to the claim that a builder or contractor has on the land. The purpose of this claim is to secure payment to the builder for any work done or any materials provided in the course of any improvement on the land.

A caveat on the Alberta property title search document is a 'warning'. Taken from the Latin word that translates to "let him beware”, a caveat indicates that a registered or legal claim by other people has been placed on the land. This is important to take notice of. If you are intending to purchase the land, you MAY not be buying it from the sole owner and as such may be legal headache for you later on.

Do not forget too to check the Alberta property title search document for any mention of a mortgage. This means that the current owner or owners have borrowed money from a financial institution and has used the land as collateral or security for the loan. This means now that the mortgage lender(s) have a legal interest in land and as per law, they have the right to seize the property should the current owner(s) fail to live up to their mortgage obligations.

To get a copy of any Alberta property title search document, contact your local registry agent and get a Service Request form. On the Alberta property title search SR form, indicate your name, address, phone and other contact details and what you need such as a certified copy of a current title, a copy of a historical title and others. Once you have completed the form, the registry agent will take of the rest.

Alberta title searches are public records. In general, anyone with the proper land information (e.g., legal description, reference number, etc.) can conduct an Alberta property title search. However, hundreds of requests are carried out each day and as such, your best option may be to course your Alberta property title search via a reputable registry agent such as AlbertaRegistry.net. As an authorized Alberta registry agent, AlbertaRegistry.net can help you process not only your Alberta title searches but also your Alberta birth and death records, Alberta corporate registries and Alberta driving and motor vehicle needs.