When property ownership is in question, either due to a title defect or a defunct verbal agreement, you may want to explore a quiet title action. Absent this process, you may not hold the claim to property as you once believed.
A quiet title action is something you may only understand once you need to pursue it. Get a basic handle on the process if you have to consider undertaking it at some point.
What does quiet title mean?
The ownership of a parcel may come into question for various reasons. When this happens, a judge may need to step in and quell or “quiet” the property claim. In short, a quiet title is an action to verify who has the right to a piece of property.
When would a quiet title action become necessary?
When the ownership of a piece of property comes under scrutiny, a sale cannot happen. For instance, if your aunt indicates she has some right to a piece of property you believed belonged to your grandmother, then you cannot move to either use the property or sell it without proving or disproving your aunt’s claims. Without it, you cannot get a clear title to the property.
The death of a property owner is the most common event that brings to light an ownership issue. You may find that when disposing of an estate, there is a gap in the title history for the property, or you may come across a lienholder you did not know existed. Getting a better sense of what might happen during a quiet title action may help you decide how to proceed.