I’ve got a piece of land under contract for $1K (worth ~$20K) in Franklin County GA. It’s a probate situation and the only real property the decedent owned (in his name only) was this piece of land. I received the executor’s Letters Testamentary and the death certificate, but I feel more comfortable doing this deal with a title company.
Any suggestions?
Also, I tried looking for the deed on the GSCCCA website but I couldn’t find the deed and their technical support says their records only go back to 1985. From the sound of it, the ex-wife thinks the decedent bought the land before that. The clerk’s office said in order to find the deed, I would physically have to go into the superior court clerk’s office and pull it up. Another reason why I’m willing to pay extra for a title company, even if the cost of the title fees will be greater than the cost of the land - given the spread.
For a deal like this, I’d definitely use a title company - you’re making the right call. The probate situation plus the pre-1985 deed issue could create title defects that come back to haunt you later. Even with the healthy spread you’re working with, title insurance is worth it for peace of mind.
For Georgia, try reaching out to:
Investors Title Company (they handle a lot of investor deals)
Old Republic Title (good with complex/older chains of title)
Local attorney-owned title companies often handle these situations well and might be more flexible on pricing
Since you’ll need someone to physically pull that deed anyway, a local title company familiar with Franklin County’s records will save you the trip and ensure nothing gets missed. They can also verify the executor has full authority to sell and that there aren’t any other heirs with claims.
The title fees eating into your margin on a $1K purchase is annoying, but think of it as insurance on the $19K spread. Better to pay $800 to $1200 in closing costs than deal with a quiet title action later.