TITLE AND CLOSING
Title work handled under the same roof as your loan
Summit Title Services is our affiliated title agency. It runs the search, issues the insurance policy, and hosts the closing table for members buying or refinancing a home.
What we do
Three jobs, one file, one phone number
Most closings involve a lender, a title company, and an escrow agent who have never spoken. Ours talk every day.
Title search and examination
We pull the public record on the property going back through prior owners, then read it for anything that would stop a clean transfer. Most searches on our files come back in three to five business days.
Title insurance
Two policies exist. The lender's policy protects the mortgage holder and is required. The owner's policy protects you, is optional, and is bought once at closing.
Closing and escrow
We hold the earnest money, prepare the settlement statement, run the signing, and wire the funds. Deeds are recorded with the county the same day or the next business morning.
The search
What a title search is actually looking for
A house can look perfectly ordinary and still carry a claim from twenty years ago. The search is the part where somebody reads every recorded document tied to the address and finds out.
Closing day
How the last two weeks go
From clear-to-close to keys in your hand, here is the order of events.
Search comes back
We send you and your loan officer the title commitment. Anything that needs clearing, such as an old lien or a missing release, gets worked before closing is scheduled.
Numbers get set
Three business days before signing you receive the Closing Disclosure with the final cash figure. Read it against your loan estimate and call us with any line you do not recognize.
Funds move
Wire your closing funds the business day before. Bring a government photo ID. We do not accept personal checks over $500 and we never change wire instructions by email.
You sign and record
Signing runs about 45 minutes at any of our 42 branches. The deed goes to the county recorder that afternoon, and your policy arrives by mail in three to four weeks.
This is a demonstration website. Timelines, fees, and products shown are illustrative only and do not reflect a real title agency.
Common questions
Do I have to use Summit Title if I finance with Summit?
No. You may choose any title agency licensed in your state, and your loan terms do not change either way. We list our fees up front so you can compare them against another quote.
Is the owner's title policy worth buying?
It is a one-time premium paid at closing that covers you for as long as you own the home. The lender's policy that comes with your mortgage protects the loan balance, not your equity, so most buyers add the owner's policy.
What happens if the search turns up a problem?
Most issues are paperwork and clear in a few days. A payoff letter is requested, a release is recorded, or a name is corrected by affidavit. Real disputes are rare, and we tell you the same day we find one.
Do you handle refinances too?
Yes. A refinance still needs a search and a new lender's policy, but there is usually no owner's policy and no escrow of earnest money, so the file moves faster. See rate and term refinance for loan details.
Can we close remotely?
In most of our service area, yes. We offer a hybrid closing where you sign the bulk of the package electronically and only the notarized documents in person. Ask when you schedule.
Who do I call the week of closing?
Your closer, whose direct line is on your commitment letter. If you cannot reach them, call member service at (800) 555-0148 and ask for the title desk.
Get the title work started early
Open the file as soon as your offer is accepted and closing day gets a lot quieter.