An abstract of title is a compilation of historic information concerning a tract of land based on its legal description. An abstract shows the entire chain of ownership from the time the title to the property was first recognized by the government to the present. This set of documents will also include any items filed in the court clerk’s office that pertain to the land. Therefore, the abstract can be used to establish “marketable title” to a piece of property. Before photocopies, an abstractor read each document pertaining to a piece of property, made “takeoff” notes, and then summarized them on a sheet of paper. This sheet of paper would list all the pertinent information related to an item, such as a deed, by including the grantor, grantee, date of the deed, filing date, legal description, signature block, and notary information. The abstractor’s page was then added to the book and called an abstract, because the information from the original deed was “abstracted.” The ability to sort through numerous pages of information and abstract the important details was considered an art form. Today, abstracts include photocopies of pertinent documents. When the abstract has been brought to date, an abstractor will place a “certificate page” at the end of the abstract. This page certifies that the abstract includes all pertinent documents filed in land records, ad valorem tax payment status, personal property tax payment status, and any other court items that fall within the time period covered by the certificate – from the date the abstract was last certified to present.
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