The Atlanta Title Company
Residential and Commercial Real Estate Lawyers
945 East Paces Ferry Rd, Resurgens Plaza, Atlanta, GA 30326

Table of Contents

PREFACE

CHAPTER 1 - THE TITLE EXAMINER

1.1 Examining Attorney’s Attitude

1.2 Prior Examination

1.3 Reference to Title Standards in Sales Contract

CHAPTER 2 - USE OF THE RECORD

2.1 Period of Search

2.2 Extent of Search

2.3 Instruments by Strangers to the Record Chain of Title

2.4 Record of Expired Leases

2.5 Record of Expired Contract or Options

2.6 Age of Instruments

CHAPTER 3 - NAME VARIANCES

3.1 Rule of Idem Sonans

3.2 Use or Nonuse of Middle Names or Initials

3.3 Abbreviations, Derivatives, and Nicknames

3.4 Recitals

3.5 Effect of Suffix

3.6 Variance Between Signature and Name in Body of Deed

3.7 Name Changes

3.8 Variance in Name of Wife

3.9 Variance in Indication of Sex

3.10 Correct Name of Grantee

3.11 Correcting Designation of Plat

3.12 Indexing Notation

3.13 Name Variances for Corporations and Partnerships

CHAPTER 4 - EXECUTION, ATTESTATION, ACKNOWLEDGMENT AND RECORDING

4.1 Date Omissions and Inconsistencies

4.2 Delivery Delay in Recordation

4.3 Georgia State Transfer Tax

4.4 Internal Revenue Service Real Estate Reporting

4.5 Requirements For Recording a Deed in Georgia

4.6 Constructive Notice of Security Deeds

4.7 Actual and Constructive Notice

CHAPTER 5 - DESCRIPTIONS

5.1 When Defective Descriptions Do Not Impair Marketability

CHAPTER 6 - AFFIDAVITS AND RECITALS

6.1 Affidavits in General

6.2 Recitals

6.3 Affidavits of Possession

6.4 Affidavits of Descent

6.5 Scrivener’s Affidavits

CHAPTER 7 - CO-TENANCIES

7.1 Conveyances by Co-tenants

7.2 Conveyances by Survivor of Joint Tenancy with Right of Survivorship, or Surviving Grantee in Survivorship Deed

7.3 Recitals as to Percentage of Interest Being Conveyed

CHAPTER 8 - TRANSFERS AND AGENTS

8.1 Effect of Designation ‘Trustee, ’ ‘Agent, ’ ‘Nominee, ’ or ‘Custodian’’

8.2 Termination of Trust

8.3 Deeds Executed in Representative Capacity

8.4 Formality Necessary to Create or Exercise an Agency

8.5 Power of Attorney

CHAPTER 9 - INSTRUMENTS EXECUTED BY CORPORATIONS

9.1 Name Omitted from Signature

9.2 Authority of Officer to Execute Instruments

9.3 Evidence of Corporate Authority

9.4 Corporate Existence

9.5 Foreign Corporations

9.6 Transfer or Satisfaction of a Security Deed by a Corporate Grantee

9.7 Other Useful Provisions of the Georgia Business Corporation Code

9.8 Alien Corporations

CHAPTER 10 - CONVEYANCES INVOLVING LIMITED PARTNERSHIPS

10.1 Governing Law

10.2 Authority

10.3 Conveyancing by Limited Partnerships

10.4 Foreign Limited Partnerships and Foreign General Partners

10.5 Mergers

10.6 Limited Liability Limited Partnership

CHAPTER 11 - CONVEYANCES INVOLVING GENERAL PARTNERSHIPS

11.1 General; Authority; Execution

11.2 Statements of Partnership

11.3 Vesting of Property of Dissolved Partnerships

11.4 Conveyances of Real Property Prior to UPA Held in Partnership Name

11.5 Conveyances of Real Property Subsequent to UPA Held in Name of Partnership Formed Prior to UPA

CHAPTER 12 - CONVEYANCES INVOLVING LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANIES

12.1 General Authority

12.2 Recorded Copies of Articles of Organization

12.3 Mergers

12.4 Terminated Limited Liability Companies

12.5 Foreign Limited Liability Companies

CHAPTER 13 - TITLE THROUGH DECEDENTS’ ESTATES

13.1 Judgments Against Heirs or Devisees

13.2 Surviving Widow, Widower or Minor Children

13.3 No Will, No Administration, Death Within Twelve Months

13.4 No Will, No Administration, Death From One to Three Years Past

13.5 No Will, No Administration, Death More Than Three Years Past

13.6 No Will, Administration Pending on Estate — Sale by Administrator

13.7 No Will, Administration Pending on Estate-Sale by Heirs at Law with Disclaimer by Administrator

13.8 No Will, But Administrator Discharged Prior to Sale

13.9 Will Probated in Solemn Form Authorizes Sale — Executor Qualified Within Past Six Months

13.10 Will Probated in Solemn form Does Not Authorize Sale — Executor Qualified Within Past Six Months

13.11 Will Probated in Solemn Form Authorizes Sale — Executor Qualified More Than Six Months — No Assent to Devise

13.12 Will Probated in Solemn Form Authorizes Sale — Executor Qualified More than Six Months — Deed From Executor and All Devisees

13.13 Will Probated in solemn Form Does Not Authorize Sale — Executor Qualified For More than Six Months

13.14 Will Probated in Common Form

CHAPTER 14 - DEEDS TO SECURE DEBT (SECURITY DEEDS)

14.1 Security Deed Recorded Prior to Deed by Which Ownership Acquired

14.2 Deed from Owner to Holder of Security Deed

14.3 Satisfaction of Assignment of Rents

14.4 Releases Corrective or Re-recorded Security Deed

14.5 Reference to Unrecorded Security Deed

14.6 Reversion of Property Conveyed to Secure Debt

14.7 Satisfaction of Deeds to Secure Debt

14.8 Failure to Pay Intangible Recording Tax

14.9 Waiver of Borrower’s Rights




CHAPTER 15 - MECHANICS’ AND MATERIALMEN’S LIENS

15.1 Scope of Search

15.2 Inchoate Nature of Lien Right

15.3 Priority of Mechanics’ and Materialmen’s Liens

15.4 Recitals of Ownership

15.5 No Release of Lien Necessary

15.6 Bond to Discharge Lien

15.7 Preliminary Notice of Liens

15.8 Satisfaction of a Mechanics’ and Materialmen’s Lien

15.9 Affidavits to Dissolve Mechanics’ and Materialmen’s Lien Rights


CHAPTER 16 - MISCELLANEOUS

16.1 Failure to Release Notice of Lis Pendens

16.2 Quitclaim, Limited Warranty, Executor’s and Administrator’s Deeds

16.3 Judgments and Executions

16.4 Dormancy of Judgments

16.5 Cancellation of General Execution Docket Recordings

16.6 Liens Arising from the Uniform Commercial Code

16.7 Methods of Canceling UCC Financing Statements and Notice Filings


CHAPTER 17 - FORECLOSURES

17.1 Foreclosure in General

17.2 Deed Under Power of Sale

17.3 Effect of Foreclosure Sale

17.4 Federal Tax Liens

17.5 Other Governmental Liens and Interests

17.6 Deed in Lieu of Foreclosure


CHAPTER 18 - TRANSACTIONS UNDER FEDERAL TRUTH-IN-LENDING AND REGULATION Z 54

18.1 Right of Rescission


CHAPTER 19 - PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENTS

19.1 In General

19.2 Condominiums - Georgia Condominium Act

19.3 Condominiums - Apartment Ownership Act

19.4 Time-Share Estates

19.5 Property Owners’ Association — Not Subject to Statute

19.6 Property Owners' Associations — Georgia Property Owners’ Association Act


CHAPTER 20 - MEMORANDUM OF LEASE OR CONTRACT

20.1 In General


CHAPTER 21 - BANKRUPTCY

21.1 Scope of Record Search

21.2 Title Through Bankruptcy Debtor or Bankruptcy Estate

21.3 Title Through Stay Relief Provisions


CHAPTER 22 - MINERAL RIGHTS

22.1 In General

22.2 Rights of Ingress and Egress

22.3 Non-Use of Mineral Rights


CHAPTER 23 - LAND REGISTRATION PROCEEDINGS

23.1 In General


CHAPTER 24 - OPINIONS AND CERTIFICATES OF TITLE

24.1 Opinion as a Duty of Title Attorney

24.2 Duty to Inform Client of Certificate Exceptions Which Can be Insured Over by Title Insurers

24.3 Actual Knowledge of Title Defects Which Do Not Appear on Court or Government Records

24.4 Mistakes of Court Record Clerks.

24.5 Title Rejection or Turning Down the Title as Not Being Marketable or Insurable


CHAPTER 25 - ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES

25.1 In General

25.2 The Hazardous Site Response Act

25.3 Comprehensive Environmental Response, Comprehensive, and Liability Act of 1980


CHAPTER 26 - SURVEYS

26.1 In General

26.2 Surveys Which Meet Minimum State Requirements for Recordation

26.3 As-Built Surveys

26.4 Composite Surveys


CHAPTER 27 - MARITAL RIGHTS TO REAL PROPERTY

27.1 In General

27.2 Third Party Interests


CHAPTER 28 - REAL PROPERTY FORFEITURE

28.1 ‘Relation Back’


CHAPTER 29 - CONVEYANCES BY AND TO TRUSTEES

29.1 Verification of Existence of Trust and Authority of Trustee

29.2 Effect of Designation ‘Trust’ and ‘Trustee’

29.3 Trust Established In Accordance With Provisions of ‘Testamentary Additions to Trust Act’


CHAPTER 30 - ASSESSMENTS FOR GOVERNMENTAL IMPROVEMENTS AND SERVICES

30.1 Equal Rank With Ad Valorem Tax Liens

30.2 Lien Against Property Served

30.3 Date of Attachment

30.4 Expiration

CHAPTER 31 - FEDERAL TAX LIENS

31.1 In General

31.2 Applicability of Federal Tax Lien

31.3 Creation and Attachment

31.4 Perfection

31.5 Property To Which Lien Attaches

31.6 Duration of NFTL Filing

31.7 Limitation, Release and Satisfaction of Lien

31.8 Priority

31.9 ‘Semi-Super’ Priority

31.10 Super Priorities

31.11 Special Rules Relating to Foreclosure of Real Property Encumbered by Federal Tax Lien

31.12 Special Rules for Estate Tax Lien and Gift Tax Lien


CHAPTER 32 - COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE BROKERS’ LIENS

32.1 Examiner’s Exception for Brokers’ Lien for Commercial Property

32.2 Escrow Funds to Dissolve Lien


CHAPTER 33 - RTC TITLE ISSUES

33.1 Chain of Title of Ownership of Real Property Assets of Failed Association

33.2 Sales of Real Property Interests Held by RTC

33.3 Use of Powers of Attorney by RTC

33.4 Pass-Through Receivership Title Issues

33.5 Validity of Foreclosure Conducted by Holder of Superior Interest of Property in which RTC as Receiver of a Failed Association Holds an Interest


CHAPTER 34 - ZONING

34.1 Title Opinion


CHAPTER 35 - FEDERAL STATUTES WHICH DO NOT AFFECT TITLE

35.1 Americans with Disabilities Act (‘ADA’)

35.2 Bank Bribery Act

35.3 Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (‘HMDA’)

35.4 The Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (‘RESPA’)


CHAPTER 36 - GEORGIA STATUTES WHICH DO NOT AFFECT TITLE

36.1 Georgia Residential Mortgage Act (‘GRMA’)

36.2 Georgia Withholding Tax on Sale or Transfer of Real Property by Nonresidents of Georgia


CHAPTER 37 - CONDEMNATIONS — THE RIGHT OF EMINENT DOMAIN

37.1 In General Right of Eminent Domain — Its Power and Exercise Thereof

37.2 Title Examination for Condemnor or Person Exercising Condemnation Right

37.3 The Right of Eminent domain is Statutory in Nature Involving Statutory Civil Procedure

37.4 Rights of Reversion in Condemnee or Successors in Title to Condemnee

37.5 Just Compensation Awarded in the Form of Future Uses

37.6 Rights Lost to the Property Remaining after Condemnation Paid for as Consequential Damages

37.7 Condemnation of Air Rights by Government Condemnor

37.8 Condemnation of Rights Less Than Fee Simple Title Rights in Addition to Air Rights

37.9 Property Exempt from Condemnation or Eminent Domain Laws of Georgia

37.10 Property Conveyed from Condemnor to Private Individuals

37.11 Adverse Possession Cannot Be Obtained Against Certain Condemnors

37.12 Condemnation — Plats Involved


CHAPTER 38 - EASEMENT TITLE ISSUES

38.1 Nature and Extent of Title Examiner’s Duties with Respect to Appurtenant Easements

38.2 Merger

38.3 Debt Encumbrances

38.4 Effect of Deed Recitals on Easement Rights

38.5 Parol Licenses

38.6 Notice

38.7 Charges Imposed for Use of Easements

38.8 Real Estate Taxes on Easements

38.9 Environmental Issues Relating to Easements


CHAPTER 39 - Titles Involving Judicial Confirmation or Conveyance

39.1 Quiet Title Actions


CHAPTER 40 - FDIC Title Issues

40.1 Ownership of Real Property of Failed Institution

40.2 Foreclosure of Deeds to Secure Debt Naming a Named Institution as Grantee

40.3 Transfer of Real Property By FDIC or Partner Entities

40.4 Use of Powers of Attorney By the FDIC


CHAPTER 41 - Title Acquired Through a Court-Appointed Receiver