When we buy land, we pay cash and usually close in about two weeks. Some sellers ask why it isn’t faster. There’s no bank involved, so why not close this week?
The answer is the title search. It’s the one step we won’t rush, and it protects you as much as it protects us. Here’s what it is, what the attorney checks, and what can make it take longer.
What a title search is
A title search is a review of the public records tied to your property. It answers one question: do you own this land free and clear, with the right to sell it?
In Delaware, real estate closings are handled by an attorney. The attorney’s office pulls the property’s records from the county Recorder of Deeds, reviews them, and clears up anything that needs fixing before closing day. Once the title is clear, a title insurance policy can be issued and the sale can close.
The buyer usually picks the closing attorney. Using the attorney who handled the property’s last sale can make the search faster and cheaper, because they’ve already been through its records. If you know who that was, tell us.
What the attorney looks for
- Chain of ownership. Each time the land changed hands, the deed was recorded correctly and the names line up.
- Mortgages. Any loan on the property, and whether old ones were ever officially released.
- Liens and judgments. Unpaid debts, contractor liens or court judgments attached to the land.
- Property taxes. Whether county, town or school taxes are owed.
- Easements and restrictions. Rights-of-way, utility easements, or deed restrictions that come with the land.
- Who has the right to sign. If an owner has passed away or the land is held by several family members, everyone with an ownership interest has to be accounted for.
Where the two weeks go
- We agree on terms and sign a purchase agreement.
- The attorney orders the title search. Records are pulled from the county.
- The attorney reviews the results. If something needs attention, like an old mortgage that was paid off but never released, they start fixing it.
- Closing documents are prepared. The new deed, the settlement statement and the payoff of any loans.
- We close. You sign, and you’re paid.
Most of the two weeks is steps 2 and 3. When the title is clean, that’s usually all it takes.
What can slow it down
Most sales close on schedule. These are the common reasons one takes longer:
- Inherited land. If the owner on the deed has passed away, the estate may need to be settled before the land can be sold.
- Family land with several owners. Every owner on the deed, or their heirs, needs to sign.
- Old mortgages or liens. A loan that was paid off decades ago may still show as open if the release was never recorded.
- Back taxes. Owed taxes usually get paid at closing, but the amount has to be confirmed first.
- An old mobile home on the lot. A mobile home may have its own separate title that needs to be handled along with the land.
- Boundary questions. If the deed description is unclear or doesn’t match what’s on the ground, a survey may be needed.
None of these are deal-breakers. They just take time to sort out. We’re glad to buy inherited land and lots with old trailers on them.
How you can help it go faster
You don’t need to have everything. Whatever you can find helps:
- A copy of your deed, or the tax parcel number
- The name of the attorney who handled the last sale, if you know it
- Whether there’s a mortgage or loan on the land, and who it’s with
- If the land was inherited: the death certificate and any will or estate paperwork
- Names and contact info for any co-owners
- Paperwork for any mobile home on the lot
- Any old survey or plot plan
If you don’t have any of it, that’s fine. The attorney can find it. It may just take a little longer.
What we handle
When you sell to us, the title search doesn’t cost you anything. Here’s how we buy land:
- We pay cash. No bank approval, no financing falling through.
- We pay all closing costs. That includes your half of the Delaware transfer tax, which is usually 2% of the sale price.
- We buy as-is. Old mobile homes, junk, overgrowth. We handle the cleanup.
- We don’t assign contracts. We buy the land ourselves and build homes on it.
Comparing your options? Read: Selling land to a builder vs. listing it vs. a “we buy land” company
We’re two brothers who build homes in Sussex and Kent County. If you own a lot and you’re thinking about selling, give us a call. No pressure. Let’s see if we’re a fit.
Call or text Kyle at 302-760-3900.
More on how we buy land: Sell Your Land
Tyler Nicholls, a co-owner of Telos Properties LLC, is a Delaware real estate licensee.