- Standalone title search, from
- $200
- In writing, in plain words
- 1summary
- Just the record, explained
- 0guarantees
Liens, gaps in the chain of title, heirs' property and boundary questions. We find out what the record says and what a fix usually takes.
Most title problems are old paperwork: a mortgage that was paid but never released, a deed with a misspelled name, a parent's estate that was never opened. Some are harder, like family land held by many heirs or a fence in the wrong place.
We start by reading the record. Then we tell you what we found, what the usual fix is, what it costs and how long it tends to take. We can't promise a fix will work or that a title will be insurable, and we will say so plainly.
Tidemark's attorneys are licensed in South Carolina only. This site explains how things usually work in South Carolina. Real estate rules differ from state to state.
Reading a chain of title
Example, fictional names
Every owner should trace back, deed by deed. Here the 1996 link is missing: a co-owner died and no estate was opened, so her heirs may still hold a share. That is a fixable gap, but it has to be fixed before the sale can be insured.
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1952
Deed
Coastal Land Co. to W. Brown
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1978
Deed
W. Brown to H. and R. Brown
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1996
No estate opened (gap in the chain)
H. Brown (died) to Heirs?
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2009
Deed
R. Brown to A. Seller
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2026
Your purchase
A. Seller to You
We can't promise a gap like this can be cured or that a title will be insurable. We can tell you what the record shows, what the usual fix involves and roughly what it costs, before you spend anything on it.
What we handle
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Title examination
A search of the county records, with a written summary of the chain of ownership, open liens, judgments and easements.
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Curative work
Releases of paid-off mortgages, corrective deeds, affidavits and lien payoffs so a sale or refinance can move.
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Heirs' property
Land passed down without a will or probate. We map the heirs, open estates where needed and talk through options before anyone files a partition case.
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Boundaries and easements
Survey conflicts, encroachments, shared driveways and access rights, read against the deeds and plats on record.
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Judgments and liens
We confirm whether a lien attaches to your property, get payoff figures and record the releases.
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Quiet title
When paperwork alone can't fix it, our litigation team can ask a court to settle who owns what. That is a lawsuit, with real cost and time.
Call us when
The earlier we see the paperwork, the cheaper and calmer it tends to be.
Book a consultation- A title search for your sale turned up something you don't recognize
- You inherited land and the deed is still in a grandparent's name
- A neighbor's survey shows the line somewhere new
- An old mortgage still shows as open years after you paid it
- A lender won't refinance until a lien is cleared
Fees
We quote curative work after the search, when we know what we are fixing. If a problem turns out bigger than it looked, we stop and call you before the cost changes.
Example figures for this demo
Standalone title search and summary
One parcel, standard search period
$200 to $350 Flat fee
Simple curative work
A missing release or a corrective deed
$500 to $1,500 Written quote
Heirs' property review
Family tree, records and options memo
$1,200 to $2,500 Written quote
Quiet title or partition case
A lawsuit. Budgeted phase by phase
$325 to $395 Per hour
Questions about title issues
Can you guarantee my title is clear?
No lawyer can. We can tell you what the public record shows and fix the problems we find. An owner's title insurance policy is what protects you against problems nobody could find in the record.
What is heirs' property?
Land that passed to family members without a will or probate, so many relatives each own a share. It is common in the Lowcountry, and it can make selling, borrowing or getting disaster aid hard until the title is sorted.
How long does a title fix take?
A missing mortgage release can take a few weeks. An estate that needs opening can take months. A quiet title case can take a year or more. We give you a realistic range once we have read the record.
This page is general information about South Carolina real estate, not legal advice for your situation. Laws change, rules differ by state and facts matter. Reading it does not make Tidemark your lawyer.
Other practice areas
Found something in the title search? Let's read it.
Tell us the property, the deadline and who is involved. We reply within one business day with a written flat fee or a time to talk.