O&E Report (Current Owner Search)

What is an O&E Report?

An Owner and Encumbrance (O&E) Report produces the title of a given property from the time that the current owner acquired it to the present time. The process entails searching by various methods to retrieve property related documents which are filed in public land records. Open mortgages and liens associated with the owner and/or subject property, that were recorded after the current owner's acquisition of the property, will appear on the report. Judgments against the owner that fall within the state's statute are also reported.

What is included in an O&E Report?

ProTitleUSA’s O&E report provides the property’s tax status and assessment details for all jurisdictions that the property owner is liable to pay. Should there be delinquent taxes, the report will include the amount presently due including interest. An out-of-family, full value transfer deed into the current owner is provided. All mortgages taken out by the current owner are reviewed, and any that are open are reported. Documents associated with the open mortgage are included, as well. To better understand the importance of these documents, learning what is a property title can clarify how ownership and legal claims are documented. This would include document types such as modifications, assignments, foreclosure actions, etc. Judgments and liens against the property and the current owner are provided. We also include additional state specific services such as New York’s ECB Search, New Jersey’s Upper Court Judgment Search, Pennsylvania’s Child Support and Prothonotary Searches, Miami Dade Florida’s Code Violation Search and Maryland’s Department of Wills Search. The report is delivered in PDF format and includes an easy-to-read summary sheet along with pertinent pages of all documents that were found during the scope of the search. Customization of the final report is also available. If preferred, information can be returned via API or spreadsheet.

Will the report include any mortgages or liens for prior owners?

No, the report will only include documents that were filed during the scope of the search. An upgrade to a State Statute Search would be required if a report of all possible open encumbrances is required.

How fast can an O&E Report be completed?

The standard turn time is generally within 48 business hours; however, ProTitleUSA understands that not everyone is able to wait that long. For those in need of a property ownership and encumbrance report faster, we offer an expedited service for an additional $35. An expedited report will be delivered in four business hours after the order is placed. Once the search is complete, we’ll send you an email with a link to the report. Additionally, you can access the report on our website using your username and password.

Additional Questions & Answers:

What is the cost of an O&E Report?

The average cost of an O&E Report is roughly $90 but will range from as little as $55.95 to upwards of $275 depending on the location of the property. Additional fees are also required if tax certificates are needed in NY, MA, NJ and PA, if the property is zoned as commercial rather than residential, and if the vesting deed was recorded more than 30 years ago. Bulk order discounts are available.

Who needs an O&E Report?

Typically investors and buyers at auctions are the most common parties who order O&E Reports. It is likely that the bid amount at an auction will not reflect the total lien amount due; rather, just the base amount. Interest piles up quick, so obtaining lien payoffs from an O&E report is critical. While the report does not provide title insurance, it is used to get an idea of the encumbrances on the prospective property.

Click above Sample Report