What Is Title in Real Estate?

When you purchase a property, you're not just buying the land or building—you’re buying the legal rights to use and own it. This is what’s referred to as the 'title.' The title outlines who legally owns the property and whether there are any claims or issues—like liens or easements—that could affect your ownership.

In Alabama, title issues can arise from things like unresolved probate matters, boundary disputes, or errors in prior deeds. That’s why a title search is performed before closing—to ensure the title is clean and ready for transfer.

By working with a title company, buyers and sellers can have confidence that the property is legally ready to change hands.