Title Examiner

Real Estate Management Division

Overview:

Performs complex technical work in the preparation, review and examination of title searches, legal documents, descriptions and condemnation suits used in the acquisition of all County properties. (Title searches are from Earliest Public Records to Current Date.)

An incumbent in this position routinely exercises independent judgment in all aspects of the position, including but not limited to approval of title searches, attorney title opinions, commitments, acquisition packages and condemnation suits used in the acquisition of all County properties and ensures all County and legal requirements are met.

Representative Duties /Assignments:

• Performs title searches, updates, and examinations; researches Florida Statutes and Fund Title Notes, determines information necessary to clear title and provides explanation of title information to surveyors, acquisition agents, property owners, attorneys, and County management.
• Reviews legal descriptions, sketches, surveys, right-of way maps, and construction plans, and prepares and reviews instruments of conveyance and related documents for proper form, accuracy, appropriateness, and completeness.
• Uses advanced technical and analytical skills to retrieve information to locate owners of property who are not of record or who do not know that they may have any interest in property cited for acquisition.
• Contacts property owners and others having an interest in parcels to be condemned to verify information for service of process and suit filing.
• Prepares resolution and condemnation suit packages for filing by the County Attorney.
• Participates in pre-order of taking meetings and testifies in court hearings as to title matters when necessary.
• Tracks all assigned projects through the Real Estate Management Division’s computer program tracking system.
• Reviews items submitted for real property and leasehold acquisitions for completeness and accuracy and processes them for approval as BCC agenda items or under Ordinance #92-29.
• Coordinate closings with title companies and/or attorneys involving the issuance of title insurance for road projects and all major site purchases for various County divisions.
• Performs other related duties as required.

Experience Requirements:

• 5 years of professional experience in title research and examination of real estate for eminent domain acquisitions; or an equivalent combination of relevant education, training and experience.
• Ability to read construction plans, plot and evaluate the accuracy of legal descriptions.
• Preferences Ability to research and retrieve information from multiple sources, such as from: Public Records, Fund Title Notes, Property Appraiser, Tax Collector, Clerk of the Court, Vital Statistics, Court files, Orange County Law Library, Federal Bankruptcy Laws, Florida Statutes, Rule of Civil Procedure, Florida Real Property Law, Probate Law, Title Law and Florida Constitutional Law.
• Experience in preparation and review of legal documents for eminent domain condemnation actions.
• Experience with word processing and spreadsheet computer applications.
• Completion of advanced course work in real property, specifically Real Property Law I/II and courses provided by the International Right of Way Association (IRWA) or similar organization.

Education Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution in Real Estate, Business or Public Administration or a closely related field.

Benefits:

• Holidays, PTO

Schedule:

• TBD