Excellence and a Personal Touch in Title and Closing

Case Study: A Probate Issue.

The Situation

The trustee of a decedent’s estate was working to sell a property as part of the probate process when a complication surfaced in the title review. The property had passed through a family trust, and two deeds—the first transferring the property out of the original trust and the second transferring it back into a new trust—contained small but important date inconsistencies.

Because this was a probate sale, the stakes were especially high: the estate needed to resolve the title cleanly to complete the transaction and move forward with administration. With a buyer already identified, any delay risked jeopardizing the sale and complicating the probate process.

The Issue

The mismatched dates raised a red flag for the title underwriter, who questioned whether the trust actually held valid title to the property. This introduced the possibility of an “after-acquired title” issue—something that could have clouded ownership, made the property uninsurable, and ultimately stalled the probate closing. For the trustee, what should have been a routine step in settling the estate suddenly looked like it could collapse over a technicality.

What Retitle Did

Retitle immediately took charge to protect the transaction:

Diagnosed and framed the issue: We carefully reviewed the deeds, explained that the problem was technical (not substantive), and showed why ownership was properly vested in the trust. This analysis became the foundation for outside counsel’s legal review.

Collaborated on the solution: Building on our analysis, the attorney suggested an affidavit from the successor trustee clarifying the correct dates. Retitle confirmed with the underwriter that this would resolve the concern.

Coordinated all parties: Retitle worked in two ways: Held multiple independent conversations with the attorney, the underwriter, and the trustee to keep each party aligned and prevent miscommunication. Brought everyone together at key points to ensure consensus and move the matter forward efficiently.

Drove execution: We made sure the affidavit was drafted, signed, and recorded as part of the closing package.

The Outcome

With the affidavit in place, the underwriter cleared the title for insurance, and the probate sale proceeded on schedule. The estate avoided costly delays, the buyer moved forward with confidence, and the property closed without further complications. For the trustee, this case underscored the value of having Retitle in their corner: we spotted the issue, set the course for resolution, kept every party moving in the same direction, and ultimately ensured a smooth probate closing.