Deeds and Descriptions: Your Field Guide to Pre-Listing Title Checks

Before a sign hits the yard, the smartest listing agents verify the deed, confirm the legal description, and scan for title red flags that can derail a closing. Before an offer is made, the best buyer’s agents will locate the deed to ensure the best opportunity for a valid agreement and successful close. In this hands-on class, Georgia licensees will learn how to use the Georgia Superior Court Clerks’ Cooperative Authority (GSCCCA) eSearch, county GIS/parcel maps, and tax assessor/commissioner records to (1) locate and read deeds, (2) identify and confirm the correct legal description, and (3) spot potential title issues—so they can set accurate expectations, coordinate with attorneys early, and keep contracts moving from listing to close.

Course Objectives:

By the end of this class, participants will be able to:

1. Locate and retrieve the most recent deed for a Georgia property using GSCCCA, and document the parties, vesting, and recording data on a guided retrieval log.

2. Differentiate and interpret common Georgia legal descriptions (lot & block, metes-and-bounds, condo) and match the correct description to a parcel using GIS overlays and tax records using practice scenarios.

3. Evaluate a property’s title chain for common red flags (gaps, mismatched names, POA issues, estate/probate signals, liens, plats not of record) and complete a pre-listing title-readiness checklist.

Course #79277 approved for 3CE Credit Hours