The Crazy Title Issue That Almost Ruined Our Deal – But We Got Creative!

[Jeremy Beland]

Back in 2018, we encountered one of the most unusual title challenges we’ve ever faced while working on a multifamily wholesale deal. It wasn’t a massive deal—our expected assignment fee was $10,000—but when you’re growing a business, every opportunity matters.

Everything seemed to be moving smoothly until the title search revealed a major roadblock: the mortgage discharge couldn’t be cleared because the person who needed to sign off was deceased. In New Hampshire, title laws are strict, so we couldn’t move forward without obtaining a signature from a living heir.

The title company dug deep and eventually located a distant relative—a niece of the deceased owner, two generations removed. She was the only person who could help us clear the title, so finding her became our priority.

Using skip tracing, I tracked her down and gave her a call. Convincing her to cooperate wasn’t easy. She had no connection to the property and no personal stake in the transaction. Her immediate response was, “What do I get out of this?”

At that point, it was clear we’d have to negotiate. We started with an offer of $1,000, but after some back-and-forth, we reached an agreement at $1,500. It wasn’t ideal, but it was the only way to keep the deal alive.

I made the drive to her small town, met her at a local bank, and had the paperwork notarized. She walked away with $1,500 in hand, and we salvaged the deal, netting $8,500 in the process.

That deal reinforced two crucial lessons: first, title issues can create unexpected hurdles, even in straightforward transactions. Second, success often depends on creativity, persistence, and a willingness to negotiate. Those qualities can be the difference between closing a deal and walking away empty-handed.

What about you? Have you ever had a deal nearly fall apart because of an unexpected complication? How did you handle it?