01
Patent-to-Present Chain of Title
We run courthouse deed indices back to the original state sovereign grant or patent. We verify that every deed, conveyance, gift, divorce decree, and probate distribution connects without missing links or clouded wild deeds. Learn how we untangle undivided interests and heir property.
Why It Matters: An unprobated will from 1954 can produce a distant heir 70 years later who claims a 1/6th undivided interest in your homestead.
02
Express Recorded Deeded Ingress & Egress
A dirt road across neighboring property is NOT legal access unless recorded as a perpetual easement that runs with the land. Read our guide on deeded access easements vs. logging road traps, or submit a dispute to our Landlocked Access Solutions Desk.
Why It Matters: Title companies will explicitly exclude access from title policies if there is no deeded right-of-way, rendering the land uninsurable and unfinanceable.
03
Mineral Estate Reservation & Surface Waiver
Under American property law (particularly in Texas, Wyoming, Oklahoma, and Louisiana), the mineral estate is dominant to the surface estate. Review our field guide on severed mineral rights & the Accommodation Doctrine.
Why It Matters: If minerals are severed and no surface waiver exists, an operator may have the legal right to construct an access road and drill site near your home without your permission.
04
Registered Boundary Survey & Pin Verification
Old barbed-wire fences are often off by dozens of feet. We require a registered professional land surveyor (RPLS) boundary survey showing marked pins, closed metes and bounds, and encroachment checks.
05
Groundwater Aquifer & Well Log Audit
We search State Water Development Board drillers' logs within a 2-mile radius of the parcel to identify static water levels, estimated drilling depths (e.g. Carrizo-Wilcox, Trinity, Ogallala), flow rates (GPM), and water quality records.
Why It Matters: Drilling a 600-foot dry hole can cost $25,000+ with nothing to show for it.
06
Soil Percolation & Septic Suitability
We cross-reference USDA Web Soil Survey classifications to determine soil absorption rates and verify whether the property requires a standard gravity drain field or an engineered aerobic septic system.
Why It Matters: Heavy clays or high water tables can force an expensive $15,000+ aerobic spray system rather than an affordable $6,000 gravity lateral line.
07
Tax Appraisal & 1-d-1 Ag-Rollback Protection
We audit the County Appraisal District (CAD) classification. If the land holds an active Agricultural or Wildlife valuation (such as Texas 1-d-1), we verify compliance so that a change-of-use does not trigger a 3-year retroactive tax penalty with interest. If facing back taxes, see our Delinquent Tax Relief Desk.
Why It Matters: Rollback tax assessments can hit an unwary buyer with an unexpected $8,000–$20,000 tax bill immediately after closing.
08
Electric & Utility Line-Extension Proximity
We locate the nearest electric co-op transformer or distribution pole and verify utility easement corridors. If the parcel is off-grid, we analyze solar irradiance and generator shelter suitability.
Why It Matters: Bringing power lines 1,000 feet down an easement can cost $10–$25 per foot ($10,000 to $25,000).
09
Zoning & County Deed Restrictions
We pull all recorded subdivision declarations, protective covenants, and local county orders. We confirm there are no restrictive bans on barndominiums, modular homes, livestock, poultry, or solar equipment.
Why It Matters: Unchecked covenants can prohibit you from parking an RV, building a shop, or keeping farm animals on your own land.
10
Title Insurance Commitment & Schedule B Review
Every parcel acquired is backed by a standard ALTA or TLTA Owner's Policy of Title Insurance. A landman examines Schedule B exceptions to ensure standard pre-printed survey exceptions are deleted and no unrecorded rights encumber the tract. For definitions of these terms, explore our Knowledge Catalog.
Why It Matters: A title policy protects your equity against any hidden courthouse errors, undisclosed heirs, or fraudulent past deeds.