California Property
Chain of Title

It is the complete ownership history of a property — a dated, in-order record of every recorded transfer from the current owner as far back as 1993, with a copy of every deed in the line. It is a research report, not title insurance.

Our standard chain of title goes back as far as 1993, where the county records support it. A standard report traces the succession of owners through the county recorder’s index. Tell us the goal and we will scope it.

Yes. Every link in the line comes with a copy of the recorded document behind it — not just a list of names and dates — along with the property-indexed deeds of trust, assignments, and reconveyances.

A chain of title report is a flat $195 per property — one price, all-in, with the deed copies attached and no subscription. County copy fees, where they apply, are passed through at cost. If you also need liens and tax status, the O&E report is $275.

Most reports are delivered the same business day once we have your order and payment. A long or complicated line on an older parcel can take a little longer, and we will tell you up front if that is the case.

Yes. California property records are public, so a chain of title can be ordered on any property by any party — attorneys, investors, heirs, and buyers included — without being the current owner. You give us the address or parcel number and we do the rest.

We flag it in the report. Because we are a Registered Legal Document Assistant office, you can then direct us to prepare the corrective, quitclaim, or transfer deed that cures it and e-record it — the finding and the fix from one place. We prepare the document you identify; we do not give legal advice on which one to choose.

No. A chain of title reconstructs the ownership history with deed copies. An O&E report takes that history and adds all recorded liens, judgments, easements, and tax status. If you need the full encumbrance picture, order the O&E; if you need the ownership line, order the chain.

Yes, and this is the most common reason people order one in a hurry. A title officer who flags a gap will not clear the file until the ownership line is documented end to end. Send us the address or APN and the title company’s written note; we pull every recorded transfer, produce the chain with deed copies, and you hand it back to them. Most reports are back the same business day, flat $195. If the break turns out to be a missing document rather than a missing record — a deceased owner never cleared from title, for example — we can prepare that document too.

You can, and for a single recent deed that is often the cheapest route. A chain is different work: you search by name and by parcel across decades, follow every name change, marriage, death, trust transfer, and foreclosure, and recognise when an index gap means a missing record rather than no transfer. Counties index differently and some older records are not online at all. What takes us hours takes most people several days, and the real risk is not wasted time but a chain you believe is complete when it is not.

Not on its own. A chain tells you the ownership line but not what is recorded against the property, and at an auction the liens are what hurt you because some survive the sale. For that you want the Expanded Title Search at $275, which is this chain plus every recorded lien, judgment, easement, and the tax status. If you are bidding, order that one.

No, and the difference matters. A chain of title is a research report showing what the public record says. Title insurance is an indemnity policy issued by a licensed title insurer that pays out if a covered defect surfaces later. TruPoint is a Registered Legal Document Assistant office, not a title insurer — we do not issue policies or provide coverage. Investors and lenders use these reports for diligence before committing; insurance comes later through escrow if the deal proceeds.

Yes, and neither the price nor the turnaround changes. Title research needs no notary and no signature beyond a short authorization, so there is no travel, no consulate appointment, and nothing to mail. You send the address or APN, we run the search, and the report arrives as a PDF. Out-of-state investors and heirs living abroad are a large share of who orders these.

The property address or the Assessor’s Parcel Number, and the county. That is genuinely all — you do not need to own the property and you do not need the current deed. If you are tracing a particular name, or want a specific period covered, tell us and we will include it. You sign a short authorization and we run the rest.

That is a document problem rather than a research problem, and it is fixable. Which document depends on how title was held: joint tenancy is cleared by an affidavit of death of joint tenant, property in a trust by an affidavit of death of trustee, and sole ownership needs a probate route such as a small estate affidavit. Because we are an LDA office you can direct us to prepare and record the document; a data vendor can only tell you the problem exists.

Yes. Wholesalers, investors, private lenders, and law offices who order repeatedly can ask about volume pricing — same in-house team, same turnaround, priced for repeat use. There is no subscription and no minimum to start, and the flat per-property price stands on its own if you only ever order one.