Quiet Title – Avoiding Property Disputes Before They Happen.

How many neighbors have fallen out over an extension that has been built, blocking out some of the sunlight into the next-door neighbor’s house, or a hedge planted over the property line, or a fence erected in the wrong spot? Bringing an action to quiet title does not require the parties are in an active dispute. It is a useful action to preemptively solve a question concerning ownership of a piece of property. There are, however, some important times to file a quiet title claim:

1. When you are uncertain about your property boundaries – You may have a problem knowing where the exact borders of your real estate property are. This can happen because of an incomplete or sloppy survey or a dispute with your neighbor.
2. When there are errors on the deed – The person creating your title deed can make clerical errors that affect you in the future if you fail to notice immediately. Whenever you receive your title deed, check to see if everything on it is right before you keep it.
3. When dealing with the heirs of a homeowner – Usually, when a person with property dies in Illinois, the court will distribute that property to their heirs, sometimes selling it and dividing the proceeds among them. If you are interested in that piece of land, you will need to confirm that all heirs have agreed to sell it, and a quiet title lawsuit is the good way to do this.
4. When there is an easement on a property – There are some properties, where you are supposed to share something with your neighbor, like a driveway, well, or boat dock. If this becomes a problem, you may need a quiet title lawsuit to determine the right ownership.

When should you speak with an attorney? The best to time to speak with an attorney is as soon as you think there is another individual who may have an ownership interest in the whole property, or an interest in a piece of the property, or the right use, cross, or access the property. It is important to speak with an experienced real estate attorney to explore what legal avenues may be available to help clarify and resolve questions of ownership interest before the parties disagree about the use or changes to the property.

Local attorney Andrew Szocka provides free initial consultations to help make sure you know what the best course of action may be. Visit the Law Office of Andrew Szocka, P.C. online or call the office at (815) 455-8430 to talk with an attorney about your property concerns.