Sell a House With Title Problems
Clouded title stops a sale cold: an old mortgage never released, a deed with a bad legal description, an heir nobody can locate, a lien from a contractor two owners ago. These are solvable -- they just take someone willing to work the file.
A clouded title is the reason a sale that seemed simple stalls two weeks before closing. Old liens, a deceased co-owner, a deed that was never recorded correctly -- none of it is unusual, and most of it is fixable.
What you are dealing with
Sound familiar?
- A title search that came back with problems you did not know about
- An heir who cannot be found or will not respond
- Old liens and judgments from previous owners
- A previous sale that fell apart at the title commitment
Questions sellers ask us first
- “Can title problems be fixed?”
- “Who pays for that?”
- “How long does it take?”
What you will need
- • Any title commitment or search you already have
- • Deed and prior deeds if available
- • Names and last known information for missing parties
How it works in Tennessee
The timeline, the law, and your options
- Step 1
Title search
The closing attorney examines the chain of title and produces a commitment listing every requirement and exception.
- Step 2
Curative work
Releases, corrective deeds, affidavits of heirship, and lien payoffs are gathered and recorded.
- Step 3
Quiet title, if needed
Where the defect cannot be cured by agreement, a quiet title action in Chancery Court establishes clear ownership.
Legal notes
- • Quiet title actions in Tennessee typically take several months and require service on all interested parties.
- • Title insurance requirements drive what must be cured -- the underwriter has the final say.
Your options
- • Cure the defects yourself and then sell retail
- • Sell subject to the defect at a discount
- • Sell to a buyer who funds and manages the curative work
How we handle it
What selling to us looks like
Most title defects can be cured -- release affidavits, corrective deeds, quiet title actions, heir searches. We pay for the curative work and we have the patience to see it through, which is exactly what retail buyers do not have.
- We work with a title attorney who resolves heirship, gaps in the chain, and stale liens rather than declining the file.
- We stay under contract while curative work is done instead of walking at the first exception.
- We pay for the title work up front in most cases, so cost is not the reason it goes unfixed.
- If a quiet title action is required, we can buy subject to it and see it through.
Our process
Three steps, no surprises
- 1
Tell us about the house
Call or send the address. We ask about condition, timing, and what is going on -- not for photographs or a clean house.
- 2
We walk the property
We look at it ourselves as a licensed contractor and price the repairs from real numbers instead of a padded guess.
- 3
Written offer, your date
You get a written, no-obligation offer, usually within 24 hours. You pick the closing date; we can close in as little as seven days.
Cash offer vs. listing
Compare the net, not the headline price
| Selling to Unique Construct | Traditional listing | |
|---|---|---|
| Repairs | None — we buy as-is | Seller pays before listing |
| Commissions | None | Typically 5–6% |
| Closing costs | We cover the standard costs | Often seller-paid |
| Showings | One visit from us | Open houses and lockbox |
| Contingencies | No financing, appraisal, or inspection outs | All three |
| Timeline | As little as 7 days | 45–60 days after a contract |
FAQ
Questions sellers ask
- A previous sale fell through over title. Can you still buy?
- Usually yes. Send us the commitment and we will tell you what curing it takes.
- Do I pay for the quiet title suit?
- We fund the curative work as part of the deal.
- How long will it take?
- Simple releases can be days. A quiet title action is usually months.
- What if a prior owner has died and no probate was ever opened?
- That is common. Tennessee has procedures for establishing heirship, and an affidavit of heirship or a short probate is often enough to convey clean title.
- Can you buy with an unreleased mortgage from 1994?
- Usually yes. An old paid-but-unreleased lien is normally cleared by the title attorney with an affidavit and a release request.
No obligation
Get a written offer
Tell us what is going on. We will be straight with you about whether selling is actually your best move.
Title Issues? Get your offer
No obligation, no fees, no repairs. Tell us about the property and you get a written cash offer within 24 hours of the walkthrough.
Related
Other situations we buy in
Title issues by city
Title Issues? Call (865) 277-6808 and we will tell you where you stand.
Call (865) 277-6808This page is general information, not legal or financial advice. Every situation is different — call us and we'll walk through yours.