An Alberta title search is required in many instances such as checking if you are buying a piece of land from its rightful owner and checking if it is free from any other obligations that may prevent you from acquiring full ownership of the land. Often, if the Alberta title search is needed for court procedures, a certified copy (i.e., certified under the seal of the Land Titles Office) is needed. An Alberta title search document is also needed with financial institutions such as mortgage lenders, who often ask for it before they release mortgage funds.
Whatever your purpose is, you would have to make your request for an Alberta title search via an authorized registry agent such as AlbertaRegistry.netWhatever is stated on the Alberta title search, it would be worthy to note that nobody really owns land in its absolute sense. The one that comes closest to it though is when one owns land that is 'fee simple'. If indicated on the Alberta title search document, this means that the person's ownership of the land is subject only to restrictions that the government may apply for the 'common good'.
Another form of ownership is what is called 'life estates'. When indicated on the Alberta title search document, this means that the person's ownership of the land applies only till that person is alive. When 'leasehold estates' is indicated on the Alberta title search document, the person's ownership of the land is only applicable for a stipulated number of years.
There are also several types of ownership as indicated on the Alberta title search document. When sole ownership is indicated on the Alberta title search document, it means that only one person or firm is the legal owner of the land. If tenancy-in-common is stipulated on the Alberta title search document, it means that the land is owned by several people or companies. If one of the 'tenants' passes away, then his or her ownership of the property goes to his or her estate and not to the other owners of the land. This type of ownership is the 'default' type of ownership whenever land is owned by several people or entities. On the other hand, if joint tenancy is stipulated on the Alberta title search document, this means that the land is owned by several people or companies. If one of the owners passes away, then his or her interest in the real estate will automatically go to the other surviving owners of the land.
In the course of one's ownership of land, it is common that changes take place, i.e., one of the owners pass away or one of the owners marry (or-remarry) and as such ownership of the land changes. All these changes must be reflected on the Alberta title search document.
Let's say that one of the owners passes away, their name must be removed or replaced on the Alberta title search document. If sole ownership or tenants-in-common is indicated as the type of ownership on the Alberta title search document, then an Application for Transmission on Death form must be filled out and sent to the Land Titles Office together with other documents.
If joint tenancy is indicated as the type of ownership on the Alberta title search document, a statutory declaration must be accomplished and an original death certificate of the said owner must be furnished amongst other documents.