EPISODE 24

I've condensed it to under 2,500 characters while preserving the key message and flow.Welcome to The Conveyance Desk. This is Episode 24.Every property transfer has someone managing the process. The real question is: who do they work for? Independent oversight isn't about the size of a firm—it's about having someone whose responsibility is to protect your interests, not simply complete the transaction.Today's topic is something buyers rarely see until it's too late: encumbrances.This is general information, not legal advice.A property is more than a unit and a price. It's a legal record, and that record may include a mortgage, service charge arrears, a lien, or restrictions on the title. These claims remain attached to the property until properly cleared.So why are they often discovered so late?Because a proper title review takes time. Many buyers don't know to request an encumbrance search, mortgage details, or service charge statements. Without asking the right questions, important issues can remain unnoticed until the final stages of the transaction.This isn't about bad intentions—it's about incentives. When someone's role is focused on completing the transfer, identifying problems can delay the process. That doesn't mean anyone is dishonest; it simply means independent review is often missing.The consequences can be costly. Buyers may inherit unpaid service charges, experience delays due to an undisclosed mortgage, or face restrictions that should have been identified before funds were transferred. Most of these issues are preventable with proper due diligence.An independent title review should confirm:Outstanding mortgages and discharge arrangements.Service charge clearance.Liens, freezes, or other registered claims.That the title will transfer free of encumbrances.These checks belong before the money moves—not afterwards.The principle is simple: every charge against a property can only be identified if someone takes the time to look, and that review is most valuable when the person carrying it out is working solely for you.In Episode 25, we'll return to the very beginning of the transaction—the deposit, the signed MOU, and the moment buyers become committed before many essential checks have even begun.This was The Conveyance Desk.