Why is title work slow on an estate sale?
Answered by Chris Deutsch, Founder & Editor
Licensed Minnesota Realtor #20382264 ·
The short answer
The common ones are all fixable. What they cost is lead time — which is why title work on an estate should start early, never the week before closing.
On stage The 60-second answer
Captions on · Transcript below
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The transcript posts with the video.
The longer answer
The usual suspects: a previous death that was never cleared (Grandma's still on the deed from 1994), an old mortgage that was paid off but never formally released, an open line of credit nobody knew about, or a deed that doesn't match what the family believed. One Minneapolis wrinkle worth knowing: a large share of homes here are Torrens — registered land — and clearing those transfers runs through the county Examiner of Titles, at its own pace. Title companies untangle these constantly. Your attorney handles the legal knots; I'm not a lawyer, and this isn't legal advice.
My rule on estates is simple: order the title work the same week we first talk, even if the sale is months away. Problems found early are paperwork. Problems found late are crises.
The next department over
What people in this spot usually ask next.
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- Inheritance & probateMom's house still has a mortgage. What happens to it now?Read the answer
- Inheritance & probateMom's house hasn't been updated since the 1980s. Should we fix it up or sell as-is?Read the answer
- Inheritance & probateMy siblings and I can't agree on selling our parents' house. What now?Read the answer
- Divorce & separationDo we have to sell the house in a divorce in Minnesota?Read the answer
- Senior transitionsMom's deed has a life estate on it. Can she still sell the house?Read the answer
From the editor's desk
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