COTA - Chain of Title Assessment, used by Attorneys to determine probative value of issues
in the chain of title, potential claims and potential claimants. A chain of title is the
sequence of historical transfers of title to a property. It is written more for the attorney,
than the litigant.
The COTA Preparer utilizes recorded and non-recorded sources for data and information in order
to layout the complexities and potential flaws that may or may not exist within the chain of
title. The COTA assists in identifying all known potential - claimants to the property; unknown
assignees; abuse by lien holders; causes of action; statutory violations; and unproven but evident fraud.
It establishes proof of ownership, evidence to establish potential problems and parameters for
given time periods of recordation.
Needless to say, a COTA raises the stakes of potential legal claims for damages. Anyone interested
in purchasing or selling Real Estate needs to take certain precautions prior to entering a transaction.
See the next page on CAVEATS to Real Estate.
This time sensitive and grueling work doesn't come cheap. Prices start at $795 and can increase
from there. A COTA can be 4 or 5 pages, upto 25 - 50 pages! The person ordering a COTA has lots of
work on thier own to retrieve certified copies of certain documents some of which are of record.
A COTA preparer can only attest to what information has been given him/her.
