By the time you’re in contract on a home in Columbus, Powell, Dublin, Westerville or Lewis Center, you’ve heard about inspections, appraisals, and earnest money. Then someone drops this on you:

“We’ll have the title company handle that.”

Cool. What’s a title company? And why are you paying for “title insurance” in places like Upper Arlington, New Albany, or Delaware when you already have homeowners insurance? Let’s translate this part of the process into normal human language.

1. What “Title” Actually Is (And Why It Can Be Messy)

“Title” is just the legal way of saying: who truly owns this property and who has rights or claims to it.

A title search looks back through public records to see things like:

• Past owners

• Mortgages and home equity loans

• Tax liens or unpaid contractors (mechanics’ liens)

• Divorce decrees, estates, and other fun life complications

In older areas like Upper Arlington, Westerville, or parts of Columbus that have changed hands a bunch of times, title can get… layered. In newer areas like Lewis Center, Evans Farm, or Delaware, it’s usually cleaner—but not always perfect.

The title company’s job is to make sure the person selling you the house actually has the right to sell it… and that no one else can pop up later claiming a piece of it.

2. What the Title Company Does Behind the Scenes

While you’re scheduling movers and measuring for furniture, the title company is doing the boring (but critical) stuff:

• Running a title search to uncover liens, old mortgages, and ownership history

• Coordinating with your lender on the loan documents

• Preparing your closing documents (the giant stack you sign on closing day)

• Handling the money: collecting your funds, paying off the seller’s mortgage, paying taxes, commissions, and recording fees

• Recording the deed with the county so you’re officially the new owner

In Columbus and the suburbs—Dublin, Powell, Westerville, New Albany, Lewis Center, Delaware, Upper Arlington—it’s basically the hub where all the wires, checks, and signatures get pulled together so nobody has to trust that “Bob the Seller” sorted it out on his own.

3. So What Is Title Insurance, Exactly?

Title insurance is a one-time policy you pay for at closing that protects you (and your lender) if something pops up later that the title search missed.

Examples of what it can help with:

• A long-lost heir shows up claiming Grandma never meant to sell that Westerville house

• An old lien from a contractor or tax authority suddenly resurfaces

• A forged signature or faulty recording in the chain of ownership years back

• Clerical errors in public records (they happen way more than you think)

You’ve got two flavors:

• Lender’s policy: Required if you’re getting a loan. Protects the bank.

• Owner’s policy: Optional, but highly recommended. Protects you and your equity.

You pay for it once at closing. There’s no monthly premium like homeowners insurance.

4. Why You Still Need It, Even on New Construction

Big misconception:

“It’s a brand-new build in Lewis Center / Evans Farm / Delaware… there can’t be title issues.”

Title issues don’t come from the drywall. They come from land and paperwork. Even on new construction, there can be:

• Disputes over lot lines or easements

• Old liens tied to the land from previous owners or developers

• Recording mistakes as parcels are split and re-platted

In other words: the house is new, but the dirt has history.

5. How I Help You Not Sleepwalk Through This Part

Most buyers mentally check out during the title stage—huge mistake. This is where long-term problems get prevented.

My job is to:

• Make sure you understand who the title company is and why we’re using them

• Review the title commitment with you and your lender so unpleasant surprises get handled before closing

• Explain your options for owner’s title insurance so you know what you’re paying for

• Keep an eye on closing numbers so the money side of things in Columbus, Powell, Dublin, Westerville, New Albany, Lewis Center, Delaware, Upper Arlington, and beyond is buttoned up

You don’t need to become a title expert. You just need someone who won’t let you sign your name to a six-figure purchase without understanding who actually owns what.

If you’re thinking about buying and want someone to walk you through the whole process—title, insurance, closing, not just the pretty house photos—that’s exactly where I come in.

[Contact Patrick Murphy, REALTOR® — Columbus, Powell & Dublin Expert]