Editing Chain of title (section)

==Chain of title for real property==

[[Real estate]] is one field where the chain of title has considerable significance.  In real estate transactions in the United States, insurance companies' issue [[title insurance]] based upon the chain of title to the property when it is transferred. Title insurance companies sometimes maintain private title plants that track real estate titles in addition to the official records.{{whom|date=May 2023}}  In other cases, the chain of title is established by an [[abstract of title]], sometimes, although not always, certified by an [[Lawyer|attorney]].  In the United States, some holders of mortgage debt may be unable to establish chain of title, despite the fact that clear chain of title can be required by the mortgage holder before foreclosure can proceed.  Widespread lack of clarity in chain of title results from a 1995 decision by many lenders to rely on a third entity—often, a specific company, [[Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems]] (MERS)--to hold title nominally, in an effort to enable the buying and selling of mortgage liabilities without registration of changes of ownership with local governments.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems (MERS) Inc. |language=en-US |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/topic/company/mortgage-electronic-registration-systems-mers-inc |access-date=2022-09-16 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>  US states have objected and even sued over this practice.<ref>{{Cite news |last=borden |first=devin |date=2011-12-01 |title=Massachusetts attorney general sues big banks over foreclosure practices |language=en-US |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/massachusetts-attorney-general-sues-big-banks-over-foreclosure-practices/2011/12/01/gIQAgwnUIO_story.html |access-date=2022-09-16 |issn=0190-8286}}</ref>