A new study released by the American Land Title Association (ALTA) highlights the intense, behind-the-scenes labor required to produce clean, insurable titles, revealing that title professionals are dedicating substantial hours to thwarting real estate fraud and unraveling complex property histories.
The report released Tuesday, “Measuring the Complexity of Title Production,” surveyed 449 industry professionals across 47 states. It found that 52% of respondents spend at least 11 hours a month on antifraud measures, with nearly 15% dedicating more than 50 hours monthly to address fraud-related risks.
Furthermore, 61% of purchase transactions require reviewing up to 50 historical documents to clear ownership hurdles. Despite these heavy operational demands, ALTA notes that sustained industry modernization has contributed to a 5% nominal decrease in the cost of title insurance coverage in recent years.
“Technology and artificial intelligence are helping the title industry become more efficient, and our members are embracing those innovations,” said ALTA CEO Chris Morton in a press release. “But the work required to identify and resolve issues in a property’s ownership history still depends on professional expertise.”
The title industry is predominantly structured around small businesses. According to the study, 68% of surveyed businesses reported annual revenue under $1 million in 2024, and 73% employ 10 or fewer people. Yet these businesses serve as a crucial safeguard for the housing market, identifying risks and resolving defects before buyers and lenders finalize their transactions.
Producing an insurable title requires a deep dive into public records — often spanning decades — including deeds, mortgages, liens and probate filings. In purchase transactions, 61% of title professionals review 11 to 50 documents, the report found, while 21% review more than 50 documents per file.
Ownership records, mortgage records and easements were identified as the most difficult documents to review due to the complex legal rights and priorities they involve. Adding to the complexity, while many records are digital, nearly 27% of respondents reported they must still retrieve documents in person “often” or “very often,” which can add time, cost and potential delays to the production process.
When title searches uncover issues, professionals must perform curative work to correct defects. Without this step, buyers could unknowingly become responsible for previous legal or financial liabilities. Nearly 60% of respondents reported having to remove three to five requirements or exceptions from a title commitment in order to close.
The most significant pain point in this process is obtaining mortgage releases for prior unreleased mortgages, a challenge identified by 59% of respondents.
Mortgage payoffs are the most common obligation cleared, occurring in over 90% of transactions, followed by homeowners association dues and transfer fees, which appear in nearly 57% of cases. Involuntary liens — such as mechanics, utility, tax and court-ordered liens — arise in about one-quarter of transactions and must be resolved prior to closing.
