How to search for a land title?

A land title is a legal document that proves the ownership and rights of a person or entity over a piece of land. It is essential to have a clear and valid land title before buying, selling, mortgaging, or leasing any property. However, finding and verifying a land title can be a challenging and time-consuming task, especially if the property is old, inherited, or disputed. Fortunately, with the advancement of technology and digitization, it is now possible to search for a land title online in just a few clicks. In this blog, I will explain how to search for a land title online using various government websites and portals.

Why You Need to Search for a Land Title

Searching for a land title is important because it helps you to:

• Confirm the legal ownership and status of the property and ensure that the seller has the right and authority to sell it to you.
• Identify any potential risks or issues that could affect your transaction or your rights as a buyer, such as defects, encumbrances, disputes, or frauds in the title.
• Avoid any future problems or claims that could arise from errors or omissions in the title.
• Negotiate better terms and conditions with the seller based on your knowledge and awareness of the property and its title.

Details Available in a Title Deed

Find below the property-related details a title deed includes.

• Size of the property
• Exact boundaries of the property
• Location of the property
• Current ownership details of the property
• Property transfer history
• Claims and disputes
• Property price at which it was previously purchased
• Loans and dues on taxes
• Restrictions related to property, if any (no pets, parking restrictions, etc.)

Therefore, it is advisable to conduct a thorough title search before investing in any property. It will save you from a lot of trouble and money in the long run.

How to Search for a Land Title Online in Maharashtra?

To search for a land title online, you need to follow these steps:

• Identify the property you want to buy and locate its legal description and survey number. You can find these details from the seller, the broker, or the previous documents related to the property.
• Visit the Free search portal by IGR Maharashtra (https://freesearchigrservice.maharashtra.gov.in/)
• Choose your region - "Mumbai" or "Rest of Maharashtra"
• If you want to check registrations across years for the given property, use BhuMe automator and it will download entries across all years that you need. If you want to check the registration for only a couple of years, IGR website can suffice. Simply enter the year, select district, taluka and village.
• Then enter the query number (Property no.) which you want to search across documents. This could be your survey number, plot number, Sheet no. etc. You will get results based on this number being present in the portal data.
• Submit your request and wait for the results.
• View the results. If you want to download a csv of all the results, you can use BhuMe portal.
• Now across all the entries, find the property of your interest by matching the survey number, plot number or any other identifier.

Tips and Tricks for Searching for a Land Title Online

Here are some tips and tricks that can help you search for a land title online more effectively and efficiently:

• To verify whether the property is free from all disputes and interests, check the dispute website of court and CERSAI website of loans
• Use keywords and filters to narrow down your search results. Some websites may allow you to use keywords and filters to refine your search results based on various criteria, such as date range, price range, ownership type, transaction type, etc. This can help you save time and effort by showing you only relevant results.
• Use maps and images to visualize your results. Some websites may provide maps and images of the property along with its details. This can help you get a better understanding of the location, size, shape, and features of the property. You can also use Bing Maps or Google Maps to verify the address and coordinates of the property.
• Use professional help if needed. If you are not confident or comfortable with searching for a land title online by yourself, you can always seek professional help from a lawyer or a title search company. They can help you conduct a more thorough and reliable title search and provide you with a comprehensive and certified title report.

I hope this blog has helped you to understand how to search for a land title online. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to share them below. Thank you for reading. 😊