Introduction 

When attempting to exit your current timeshare agreement, it’s best to compile all necessary information for your own, and any third parties’ sake. As part of the important information, the Abstract of Title is an important part of that information to both possess and understand. For this reason, we’ve provided an in-depth description and analysis of what an abstract of title is.  

Definition 

An abstract of title is a summary, or condensed version of the history of a title (property) as it relates to a particular real estate parcel. This typically contains information pertaining to the original grant or agreement related to the property in focus. The abstractor is a person in charge of compiling this information and is there to certify that the history in question is entirely accurate and comprehensive. In addition, the data provided from the abstract gives insight into the title insurance preparation needed to prevent financial loss as it applies to the specified property. Title insurance is in place to help defend against any lawsuits in contention with the title or to help reimburse any monetary loss that was covered under insurance for the insured’s policy.  

How it works: 

While this is largely a national occurrence, this doesn’t apply to every state, meaning one should look into how it applies to each. Although there is a state variance, this information is typically recorded in the county clerk’s official records office. With the abstract of title, the document can prove an owner’s right to dispose of their land, or take any other action as they please.  

A Property Abstract 

Another great resource as it relates to the abstract of title, is knowing about the property abstract. The property abstract is a larger grouping of the legal documents surrounding the transactions associated with a parcel of real estate. This is more of a written chronology of the entire title history, including mortgages, deeds, property taxes, and probate records (any and all legal documents affecting a piece of real estate. These are considered great starting places to analyze any subsequent changes that the  property has undergone. 

This information can be difficult to sift through without a legal background, and often is a reason it is advised to use third party resources to determine the best move. Additionally, when it comes to understanding the abstract of title, there tend to vocabulary that are hard to understand if new to real estate, which the vast majority of people are. For example, the Torrens System is a registration and transfer system for land that records (often through a county recorder) the owner’s title on a property.  

How This Will Help 

Having more information when planning to exit your current timeshare agreement will only get you that much closer to finally being able to rid yourself of your current timeshare agreement. Expert teams for complicated topics such as these, will provide you with the essential legal background to understand and apply such topics. We hope this information will be useful to you when considering your timeshare needs.