There is a chance that a person who buys a home in Pennsylvania won’t be able to acquire a clean title to it. This could be because a service provider or a bank placed a lien on the home before it was sold to its current owner. In some cases, there could be questions as to whether the title to a home is legitimate. A title that was signed by an undocumented immigrant or a minor may be declared invalid.
At a minimum, it may be necessary to obtain a new title to the home, and it is also possible that a buyer won’t be able to take possession of a property. The same is true if a signature was forged or was otherwise added to the title in a fraudulent manner. If the former owner of the house passed away, an heir might have a claim to the property.
Heirs may make their claims before the transaction closes or many years after the current owner has purchased the home. It can be a good idea to check ahead of time to see if there are any easements currently in place. It may also be worthwhile to determine if there are any boundary disputes that need to be resolved before a home sale closes.
Homeowners who are facing claims they don’t truly own their properties may want to talk to an attorney who has experience with real estate litigation. This may make it possible for an individual to learn more about different ways to resolve those disputes. In some cases, it may be possible to obtain a new title or an accurate survey. This may allow a person to obtain maximum enjoyment from his or her home and the land that it sits on.
