What Is a Preliminary Title Report?
A preliminary title report is a document prepared before closing that describes the current state of a property's title — who owns it, and what liens, easements, and other matters affect it. In Florida practice this is most often delivered as a title commitment: the title company's offer to issue title insurance, subject to listed conditions and exceptions.
What It Shows
- The record owner and how title is vested
- Liens and encumbrances — mortgages, judgments, tax liens
- Easements, restrictions, and exceptions the policy will not cover
- Requirements that must be satisfied before closing (payoffs, releases, signatures)
Why It Matters in a Florida Closing
The preliminary report / commitment lets the buyer, lender, and closing agent see what must be cleared to deliver marketable title and what the final title insurance policy will and will not protect. Reviewing it carefully is a key due-diligence step — it is the buyer's chance to require that liens be paid, defects be corrected, or troubling exceptions be addressed before money changes hands.
Related Terms
- Title Insurance — What the commitment offers to issue
- Title — The ownership the report examines
- Unmarketable Title — The defects the report reveals
Barnes Walker Real Estate
Barnes Walker's title professionals and real estate attorneys prepare and review title commitments and clear title for Florida closings. Request a legal inquiry for assistance.
Reviewed by the attorneys at Barnes Walker, Goethe, Shea & Robinson, PLLC