Over the past few months, I’ve had several clients ask me about “title theft” and whether they should be paying for a service to protect their home title. It’s a good question — and one that’s worth clearing up.

Your home title works a little differently than something like your car title. With a car, you either have the physical title in your possession if it’s paid off, or your lender holds it until your loan is paid in full. When you sell the car, that paper title is transferred to the new owner.

A home, however, doesn’t work that way. There isn’t a single physical document that changes hands when you buy or sell a property. Instead, the title (or record of ownership) is kept at your County Recorder’s Office. Anytime something happens with your property — like recording a new loan, paying one off, or transferring ownership — a note gets added to that public record. This creates what’s called the chain of title, which shows the full history of your property.

Lately, you may have seen ads for companies offering “Title Lock” services, claiming they can protect your property from someone “stealing” your title. While title fraud can happen, it’s extremely rare. These services often sound alarming, but in most cases, they’re unnecessary — especially since many counties offer title monitoring for free.

For example, if you live in Salt Lake County, you can sign up for their free Property Watch service. It notifies you anytime a document is recorded under your name, so you’ll know right away if something unexpected happens. It’s a great (and free!) way to keep an eye on your property records without paying for a third-party service.
👉 Salt Lake County Property Watch

It’s always smart to stay informed, and this is one of those simple steps you can take to protect what’s likely your biggest asset — your home.

—
Jim Barnett
Clayson-Mitchell Mortgage

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