Tax Title Services To Obtain Title Insurance?

[Asim Alam]

Does anyone have any direct experience using the company Tax Title Services (https://www.taxtitleservices.com/) to get title insurance on a tax deed property?

They say they operate in Georgia, but I just spoke with underwriting counsel over at Stewart Title-Georgia. He confirmed that for Stewart's position is that there must be either a quiet title action or a quitclaim from the prior owner (the delinquent taxpayer.) That's weird because Stewart's virtual underwriter website provides a Georgia form “foreclosure due process endorsement” when certified by Tax Title Services. 

There are a few posts already about Tax Title Services, but has anyone actually used them?

[Jonathan Frazier]

I used them on a property and the work they did was acceptable.  However, I will not use them again and here's why.  

One of the things they didn't tell me until after the work was done was that the title insurance isn't like normal owner's title insurance where the premium is paid once and effective until the property is transferred.  The kind of title policy that they issue expires in 6 months and if you want an extension then the work has to be re-done for more $$$.  

The other issue is that most closing attorneys just don't seem to be familiar with this area of the law and have reservations about whether the title is actually good.  There's also a question when the new owner tries to get title insurance; will they be able to get a normal owner's title policy or will theirs expire in 6 months too?  All those flags are just deal killers. If the buyer's attorney has reservations about title, the buyer will back out and you've wasted your time and money.

I tried to save a little money with them and wound up filing a quiet title action any ways.  I found an attorney who would file for me at a reasonable cost and now I have a judgement from a superior court judge declaring me the owner against all claims.  For the next one, I will just file quiet title and be done.