Definition of "Abstractor"

Xiao Linda  Messerschmidt real estate agent

Written by

Xiao Linda Messerschmidtelite badge icon

Keller Williams Realty

An abstractor, or, most commonly known as an abstractor of title, is the individual that determines based on thorough research the condensed history needed for an abstract of title. They are in charge of reviewing the ownership of a property or parcel of real estate through the history of that particular property or parcel of real estate. The abstractor ensures an evaluation of all former owners, from the original grant that entrusted the property or land to someone to all the following conveyances, encumbrances, mortgages, deeds, liens, judgments, or other legal papers that affect the property.

What is an Abstractor in Real Estate?

A real estate abstractor provides accurate, summarized, and complete information about the property’s ownership through the abstract of title. The abstract of title is a concrete proof of ownership that can only be contested through another contradicting abstract of title.

The abstractor definition in real estate is the evaluator of the property’s ownership. Just like some assessors assess the property’s value, the abstractor abstracts or summarize the property’s past ownership. With the analysis of an abstractor, the potential home or land buyer can ensure a valid investment as the abstractor can verify the seller’s right to sell the property and if they are the just owner of the property. An abstractor, also known as land abstractors, abstractors of title, title examiners, title extractors, or title searchers, can spare a homebuyer from a property title fiasco.

What does an Abstractor do?

Dealing with a historic property without an existing abstract of title, an abstractor needs to go through the archives of that property and analyze any transaction, land map, mortgage, inheritance that changed the owner of the house, or legal dispute to verify whether the seller of the property has the right to sell that property. The abstractor often works with a tax assessor and local surveyor to check if the land and property are described correctly in the documents. They also check for existing mortgages or other liens that have to be finalized before the property can be sold.

image of a real estate dictionary page

Have a question or comment?

We're here to help.

*** Your email address will remain confidential.
 

 

Popular Real Estate Terms

Real rate of interest on a loan. It is the coupon rate divided by the net proceeds of the loan. Assume Sharon took out a $1,000,000, on year, 10% discounted loan to buy real estate. The ...

Right of a party, the assignor, to allocate the benefits of certain insurance policies to a third party, the assignee. Insurance on real estate may assign the policy to protect the property ...

Landlord's right to receive the value of the tenant's property to pay for unpaid rents or for damages to the leased premises. ...

In real estate and across the nation, you will see different types of house structures, frames, and aspects. One of those is the A-frame type. This is an architectural style that leans ...

One-time charge assessed by a bank or other financial institution at the closing of buying real property. The fee increases the effective cost to the borrower. One discount point translates ...

Charges resulting in involuntary encumbrances against real property derived from legislated law rather than from debts owed to organizations o r individuals. For example, of a homeowner ...

Insurance affording protection against losses due to damage to or destruction of property or contents therein. Insurance protects assets and any future income thereon from loss, such as a ...

Analysis of a real estate sales data to appraise real estate values. Sources of real estate sales data used in the market data approach include the official records of deeds and leases ...

Absence of a personal liability such as when a creditor may seize an office building used as security for the obligation but cannot attach any other assets of the debtor. ...

Popular Real Estate Questions