What is title and what does a title search involve?

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Title refers to the legal ownership of the property and the rights that come with it. A title search examines public records to trace the chain of title—from current owner back through prior owners—and to uncover any defects or encumbrances that could affect transfer or ownership, such as liens, easements, restrictions, or unresolved claims. The aim is to confirm that the seller has the right to convey the property and that there won’t be hidden issues that could disrupt a clean transfer. The other ideas mix different concepts: a mortgage lien is one possible encumbrance that might appear in a title search, but title itself isn’t the lien; a physical land survey deals with boundaries, not title history; and tax assessments relate to value and taxes, not ownership or encumbrances.