Help with title search

[Luka Jozic]

I have been trying to learn how to do my own title search and for the most part I feel like it is fairly straight forward. But there are a few cases where I kind of am getting stuck and was hoping someone could help me clarify.

Case 1: The bank on the foreclosure doesn't match the bank on the mortgage
Searching at the fiscal officer here for property with parcel ID 64104010 and then I go to "Get Documents List" and I see the mortgage was through JP Morgan Chase.

Then I search for the foreclosure case at the clerk of courts and I it says the person is being foreclosed by NEWREZ LLC FKA NEW PENN FINANCIAL, LLC. Why is that and what does that mean? I see this is the case for many foreclosures so my assumption is that JP Morgan Chase sold the loan (or something of that nature)?

Case 2: Multiple mortgages

Parcel ID 78124031, for this one there are a bunch of open-end mortgages then in 2008 a new 30 year mortgage with Washington Mult BK for 92K, Im guessing this is a refinance with a new bank? Then in 2011 another 30 year mortgage with JP Morgan Chase, guessing this is the same thing. And lastly in 2018 a freddie mac flex modification agreement with Nationstar Mortgage LLC. At the Clerk of Courts on the case it says MCLP ASSET COMPANY, INC is foreclosing. So Im just very confused here if this is foreclosure is a first position and exactly what is going on here?

Case 3: Liens and multiple foreclosures on the parcel

For parcel ID 64111134, I cant seem to find the initial mortgage from the sale in 1999, but there is a subordinate mortgage for $7K from 2016 i.e. second position mortgage. Then there are a few loan modifications and lastly a partial claim mortgage. My issue with this one is that when I search the parcel ID on Clerk of Courts there are a bunch of cases coming up. Only the most recent one is the one listed on the auction site but does that mean that the older ones are not active? There also seems to be a child support lien but its a rather small amount and Im not sure if its wiped out or not.

I understand that some will advice me to contact a title company to find this out, but paying for every property can get spendy and I would like to learn how to do this as best I can. However, if someone knows a title company that can do an unofficial/uninsured title search that doesn't cost like $150+ then please do share. Any help with this would be much appreciated. Thanks.

[Randy Rodenhouse]

In my opinion, you should never do your own title search because you will miss something.  There are professional title abstractors that can see thing you will miss. I don’t think it is worth your time and better to use your time finding properties to buy.