Phase I ESA Support

Chain of Title Search Report

Every owner of record back to 1940, 50 years, or 60 years, taken from the grantor and grantee indexes in the repositories where the property is recorded.

A Chain of Title Report is an important tool for identifying and documenting past owners of a subject property, and a key element for completing a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment. AFX’s Chain of Title reports have been used on thousands of sites nationwide.

This research will be conducted using official land records corresponding to the subject property. Most commonly, these documents will be recorded with the respective County, but may be recorded on either the State or City level. The research is completed by reviewing the grantor and grantee indexes available in the local document repositories. AFX offers Chain of Title Reports going back 50 years, 60 years, and most commonly back to 1940, in order to meet the ASTM guidelines.

AFX Chain of Title Reports provide

List of all owners going back to the required date
Dates of all ownership transactions
Dates of all conveyances
Legal description of property
Copy of the most currently recorded deed
List of all recording venues used to complete the research

Choosing how far back to search

Section 8.3.2 of the ASTM E1527-13 standard is what most clients are working to when they ask for research back to 1940. Under ASTM E1527-21, the land records are searched back to 1980, which is the year CERCLA was enacted, and that search is included in the 1980 Environmental Lien & AUL report.

The chain of title is ordered together with an environmental lien and AUL report, since the ownership history is what tells you whose name to search. If you are not sure which combination your assessment needs, call 877-848-5337 or send us the property details and we will tell you what each scope would and would not cover before anything is ordered.

Order

Chain of title bundles

Pick the scope your assessment calls for, enter the property information, and our certified abstractors begin the research. Reports are emailed as a PDF.

Completed environmental lien and AUL reports are typically emailed within 3 business days. Owner lists and chain of title reports can take longer depending on the county and the scope of the search. For bulk pricing on more than 10 orders, or for rush service, call 877-848-5337.

Track Record

Due diligence on more than $2.5 trillion in property value

Research on more than 100,000 sites nationwide, for environmental professionals, government agencies, lenders, law firms, and investors.

News & Announcements

American Society for Testing and Materials Standards Update

In November of 2021, the United States Environmental Protection Agency approved the most recent American Society for Testing and Materials Standard E1527-21 as sufficient to satisfy “All Appropriate Inquiry” for potential liability protections under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act. 78 Fed. Reg. 79,319.

As a result, E1527-21 now stands as the baseline for Phase I Environmental Site Assessments. While the ASTM E1527-13 standard may still be appropriate in certain situations, as a general rule, individuals performing Phase I ESAs should ensure that their assessments are in compliance with the latest standard.

Read the full announcement

Order Your Environmental Lien Search Today

Guaranteed accurate environmental lien and AUL research for Phase I ESAs, nationwide, by certified title abstractors. Order online in minutes, or talk to our team about the scope your assessment needs.

Order Today Request More Info

Questions? Call 877-848-5337 ext. 138 or email info@afxllc.com