Bulldog Title Settlement
Louisiana Title and Settlement Services
Established in 1992, Bulldog Title Insurance Agency, L.L.C., is based in Monroe, LA, and serves clients across the state. We work with clients involved in every facet of a real estate transaction. This includes builders, lenders, buyers, sellers, attorneys, and other clients involved in home and real estate sales. We provide title and settlement services for all types of residential and commercial transactions. No matter your needs, the team at Bulldog Title is here for you. We are committed to providing top-quality title insurance services and will help you successfully move forward with your transaction.
What is Title Insurance and Why Do You Need It?
Purchasing a home is a large and important investment, and title insurance provides protection for that investment. When you sell a home or property, you are actually selling the title to the property. Title insurance protects you from losing the property, suffering any damages due to competing claims on the property’s ownership or defects and hazards that may exist in a contested title.
All documentation regarding past ownership of the property can affect the title and your ownership of the property. A title insurance policy protects the rights of new and existing homeowners from unforeseen circumstances that may cause loss or damage.
Owner’s Policy: This type of policy protects the homebuyer. It is the best way to protect your property rights, as well as your trustees, heirs, and beneficiaries.
Lender’s Policy: This is required by the homebuyer’s lender and protects only the lender’s interests. A lender’s policy lasts until the mortgage is paid in full.
Key Steps in Our Settlement Services
It is often thought that a title company only issues title insurance policies or only has you come in to sign papers. But, behind the scenes, there is a thorough process in the steps that keep you safe and protected with your new property purchase. At Bulldog Title, we are constantly working for you.
Title Search and Examination
One of the first things we do when you decide to purchase a piece of real estate is to make sure that it is within your right to do so, free and clear. This involves a little digging, checking public records and putting together a history of the property. Any red flags such as liens, judgments, missing signatures, and so forth could prevent the sale of the property.
Resolving Any Title Issues
Some title issues can be resolved. There may be simple ownership disputes that can be cleared up or maybe a small mechanics lien that can be paid off. Depending on the situation, we do our best to work with everyone involved to get the title clear so that you can move forward to closing.
Title Insurance is Issued
Once determined that the title is good to move forward to closing, a lender’s title insurance policy, an owner’s title insurance policy, or both are issued. This provides protection against anything that may have happened before you took title to the property.
Closing or Settlement - and Signing
Some refer to it as a closing, others a settlement, but they are essentially the same thing. This is when you will sign all the documents that are necessary for the lender and transfer the property. Any closing costs that need to change will be handled accordingly during this step in the process.
Funding
Once the documents are signed, they are sent to the recording department at your local parish office, and the funds for the property are disbursed to the seller.