Washington, DC (production) · Maryland (beta, by invitation) · Title intelligence briefing

The way an examiner reads a file, rendered for everyone else.

The search and the first examination, in one step. ClearTitle AI pulls the recorded chain from the land records, reads every instrument, and returns a structured pre-commitment memo (Schedule A vesting, Schedule B-I requirements, Schedule B-II exception candidates), chain narrative and cure roadmap in minutes, not days. It replaces the abstract order and the first-pass examination; your licensed examiner confirms the findings and issues the commitment. Coverage: Washington, DC (production) and Maryland (beta, by invitation). Take the tour on four real DC briefings: a clean detached house, a file with two title-killing defects, a condominium unit with a super-priority association lien, and a $5.15M Georgetown commercial restaurant carrying unterminated UCC fixture filings, a recorded lease, and LLC authority questions.

Take the tour ↓ Clean file ↗ Title defects ↗ Condo unit ↗ Commercial ↗ Pilot brief ↗
Validate · then convertStarts with 2 free briefings
Typical run timeMinutes · not days
DeliverableHTML + PDF, fully traceable
Property typesSFR · row · condo · commercial

What's in every briefing

  • AVerdict header — insurability call, scored metrics, examiner summary
  • 1Pre-Commitment Memo — Schedule A vesting (recorded owner checked against the tax roll), Schedule B-I requirements, Schedule B-II exceptions, then what was reviewed and ruled out and what is noted for the file; every finding is a full card tied to its source instruments
  • 2Scope & Examination Notes — search boundaries, data-quality flags, bring-down requirements
  • 3Chain of Title — narrative history with cited instruments and timeline strip
  • 4Instrument Abstract — every instrument tabbed by type
  • ⬡Examiner Inferences Beta — corpus-wide pattern detection; advisory signals the formal pipeline didn't flag, each with an instrument anchor and examiner action
  • ◎Examination Chat — file-scoped reasoning layer; ask about any finding, lien, or cure step, grounded strictly in the examined corpus

What the report helps a title team do faster

ClearTitle AI organizes recorded filing history into a decision-first briefing that helps reviewers understand posture, isolate defects, and move quickly from diagnosis to cure.

Immediate clarity
See title posture up front
The verdict header, scored metrics, and examiner summary bring the file into focus before a reviewer opens a single instrument.
Structured title analysis
Follow the reasoning behind the conclusion
Findings, vesting, chain narrative, encumbrances, and the chain graph are each isolated in their own layer — with evidence cited at every step.
Actionable next steps
Move from issue spotting to cure planning
Each cure action is tied to the specific instrument that created the defect, with document-level traceability back to the recorded file.
◎ Examination chat
A reasoning layer that already read your file
Ask about any finding, lien, instrument, or cure step. The chat is grounded strictly in the examined corpus — it cites the instrument, not general knowledge. Questions the corpus can't answer are stated plainly rather than guessed at.
Hard files, same format
Condo and commercial, not just detached
Declarations, by-laws and every recorded amendment, association liens with their super-priority window, unit lot versus master record lot — and on commercial files, unterminated UCC fixture filings, recorded leaseholds, entity authority, and historic-district overlays. The cases that break automated searches are where the format earns its keep.

How a briefing gets produced

One public identifier in, the search and the first examination out. Nothing of yours enters the system.

Step 01
You enter a Square & Lot or an address
A public DC Square & Lot, or, in the Maryland beta (by invitation), a property address resolved against Maryland SDAT — no client file, no PII, no privileged material. DC condo units take the unit lot; the master record lot is resolved automatically.
Step 02
We search, reconstruct and read the chain
Every recorded instrument in the horizon is pulled from the land records, retrieved, classified, and matched — releases to trusts, assignments to beneficiaries, exceptions to the deed that created them.
Step 03
You get a six-section briefing
Verdict, findings, vesting, Schedule B, scope, chain, and instrument abstract — in HTML and PDF, every claim linked to the recorded filing. A file returns in minutes, not days; run time depends on chain length and land records response, and we email you when it is ready.

What it replaces — and how validation works

A traditional abstractor delivers an instrument index in days (typically $250–$500 residential, $500+ commercial), and the examiner then reads it from scratch with no risk analysis. ClearTitle AI delivers the search and the first examination in one step, in minutes, not days, for $295 residential / $595 commercial at GA — replacing the abstract order and the first-pass examination, and saving your examiner the hours spent on the first read.

Abstract order + first examination
Days
An abstract at $250–$500 residential ($500+ commercial) returns an instrument index in days. The examiner then reads every instrument from scratch, with no risk analysis, at hours of billable time per file.
vs
ClearTitle AI · search + analysis
Minutes · $295 res / $595 com at GA
The search and the analysis in one step: a verdict-first pre-commitment memo your examiner confirms and builds on. Validate on files you know, then convert to production pricing only once it has earned it.
Step 1 · Try
See the output
2 complimentary briefings, files of your choosing
Residential or commercial
No commitment, no card required
Run files you know — see what the briefing looks like
Free
2 briefings · no card required
Step 2 · Validate
Prove it in your workflow
10 briefings over 30 days, residential or commercial
Run real production files — measure time saved
Feedback shapes the product and GA roadmap
Production pricing at conversion; ask about volume terms
One free bring-down search per report is included, within 60 days.
$995
10 briefings · 30 days · $99 per report plus a $5 admin fee
Step 3 · Convert
Production pricing
Standard: $295 res / $595 com per briefing
Prepaid packs for steady volume — ask us
Partnership terms by invitation — ask us
Per-briefing, one-off — no subscription
Convert only once the pilot has earned it
$295 / $595
standard · res / com · per briefing

Illustrative comparison, not a guarantee of savings. The briefing is not a title commitment; your licensed examiner confirms the findings and issues the commitment, and a bring-down search within 10 days of closing is still required. Full terms in the pilot program brief.

SI
From the founder

Built by a mortgage-finance professional — for the title teams who do the work.

ClearTitle AI comes out of two decades in mortgage capital markets — pricing, acquiring, and trading mortgage assets at institutional scale. All of that work sits downstream of clean title, and the messy first mile of title diligence is exactly where this tool goes to work.

I'm not a title examiner — you are. The pilot is designed so you validate the output against files you already know cold, before committing to production pricing. If it doesn't hold up under that scrutiny, I want to know exactly where it failed — that feedback sets the roadmap and the GA price.

Satish IyerFounder, ClearTitle AILinkedIn ↗
ClearTitle AI is an independent, founder-funded company — built from the ground up for title work, covering Washington, DC (production) and Maryland (beta, by invitation).
First-pass diligence

The verdict a first pass gets you, then the reasoning behind it — six stops in.

Every briefing opens with a plain-language call on insurability, scored. Below it, watch the same call get built stop by stop — findings, vesting, Schedule B, scope, chain, abstract — across four real DC briefings, residential through commercial. Maryland is in beta, by invitation.

◎ Examiner reasoning — full basis for this finding
Open the full briefing ↗
The Tour
A briefing is built to be read top-down: the pre-commitment memo first (Schedule A, B-I and B-II), then scope, chain, and abstract. The toggle below carries all four real DC briefings — clean, defective, condominium, and commercial — through every stop.
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Now viewing
Open full ↗
Stop 01 · Pre-Commitment Memo

Section 1 is the draft commitment — organized the way you issue it.

The first section of every briefing is a pre-commitment memo laid out on the standard commitment schedules: Schedule A (interest and vesting), Schedule B-I (requirements to cure before closing) and Schedule B-II (exceptions). Each finding appears once, as a full card inside the schedule it belongs to, with its severity tag, an Explain button, linked source instruments, the cure action and a Why It Matters line. Items the examination reviewed and ruled out, and items noted for the file, are kept apart so they never read as requirements.

  • Requirement and exception lines are assigned by rule, following ALTA commitment practice
  • The verdict line and the Required at Closing count come from the examination, and the memo repeats them
  • Marked Draft: the licensed examiner reviews it and issues the commitment
In practiceThe commitment is typed from the memo, not rebuilt from a findings list. Shown here: the 3299 M St NW commercial briefing.
§ 1 · Pre-Commitment MemoDraft · for examiner review
Title is insurable with exceptions; open items must be resolved at closing.
6 requirement lines · 2 exception lines · 2 reviewed & ruled out · 2 noted
Schedule A· Interest & Vesting
Interest
As conveyed by the vesting deed (instrument 2025030708); no estate classification beyond the deed text.
Vested in
MARE, LLC
Deed 2025030708 · Recorded 28 Mar 2025 · Sole owner
Tax roll
MARE, LLC
DC MyTax tax roll, checked live
✓ Matches vested owner
Property
3299 M St NW, Washington DC 20007 · SSL 1206-0034
Schedule B-I· Requirements: cure before closing · 6
B-I.3Recorded release or other evidence of satisfaction of three prior-owner deeds of trust (1986, 2006, 2007), granted by prior owners of record.
For ReviewExplain
Prior-owner deed of trust — release not located
Deed of trust 2006012406 recorded 2006-01-26, indexed to a trustee or lender ($1,600,000), was granted by a prior record owner. No release, satisfaction or reconveyance referencing it has been located in the records read.
Evidence: 2006012406 · 2007145706 · 8600029043
→ Action Obtain a recorded release or other evidence of satisfaction, or have the underwriter state how it is to be treated, before closing.
B-I.4Formation documents and evidence of the signatory's authority for MARE, LLC, covering the instruments recorded in its name.
For ReviewExplain
Entity owner — formation documents and signatory authority
The current owner of record is a business entity. Conveyances executed by an LLC require confirmation that the signatory had authority to bind it.
→ Action Obtain and review the operating agreement or resolution for all instruments executed by the entity.
B-I.6Confirmation from DC OTR that no tax sale lien or certificate exists, and a tax certificate as of the closing date.
Lines B-I.1, B-I.2 and B-I.5 (a corroborating chain instrument, UCC status searches, and the financing structure of the acquisition) are collapsed here. In the briefing each carries its own card.
Schedule B-II· Exceptions · 6 standard · 2 special
Survey mattersFacts which would be disclosed by a current, accurate survey and inspection of the land.
Parties in possessionRights or claims of parties in possession of the land that are not shown by the public records.
Real estate taxesCurrent-year status to be confirmed with DC Office of Tax and Revenue (OTR) before closing.
PlatRights, easements, conditions and restrictions as shown on the plat recorded in Liber 31 / Folio 194.
B-II.2Historic district designation: Georgetown Historic District (preservation review by HPRB).
For ReviewExplain
Historic district — preservation review required
Preservation covenants and approval conditions run with the land and constitute Schedule B exceptions.
Reviewed & Ruled Out· 2
  • For Information A chain gap (1955 to 1966) predates the 60-year examination period; no curative action is required for that window.
  • For Information 12 historical releases list no related instrument; common in older records with inconsistent indexing.
Noted for the File· 2
Informational items that are neither a requirement nor an exception, for example a recorded trust modification.
Stop 02 · Schedule A

Who holds title — and the evidence for it.

Vesting is a conclusion that requires defense. The briefing shows the recorded vesting alongside the most recent ownership signal from the DC Tax Roll, and surfaces any discrepancy between them.

  • Vesting is dated to the controlling instrument
  • Tax Roll position checked live against MyTax DC
  • Discrepancies flagged with rationale — including ownership breaks like the one in the defects file
In practiceUnderwriters can defend the vesting call from the briefing alone — no need to re-pull the controlling deed.
§ 1 · Schedule A · VestingAs of 14 May 2018 · concordantAs of 6 Apr 2026 · DISCREPANTAs of 8 Jun 2026 · concordantAs of 28 Mar 2025 · concordant
Reflects most recent recorded instrument. Conflicting tax-roll position requires reconciliation before closing.
Per Recorded Chain
Uma Iyer
Iyer Satish
Deed 2018048177 · Recorded 14 May 2018
✓ Matches DC Tax Roll
Per DC Tax Roll · MyTax DC
Iyer, Satish
Iyer, Uma
Source · DC OTR, live as of 12 Aug 2026
Legal Description
Basis Deed · 2018048177
Lot 34 in Square 2351, in a subdivision made by Henry Gilbert Hadley, as per plat recorded in Liber 111 at folio 137 in the office of the Surveyor for the District of Columbia. 6690 32nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20015
Survey & Plat References
Standard Schedule B title exception — instrument recorded in the DC Office of the Surveyor. Covenants, restrictions, rights-of-way, and easements run with the land and are excepted from title coverage.
TypeReferenceSource
Subdivision PlatBook 111, Page 137DC Office of the Surveyor
⚠ Open real property tax balance(s): Current Year (2nd half): $5,411.27. Verify current status with DC OTR before closing.
Reflects most recent recorded instrument. Conflicting tax-roll position requires reconciliation before closing.
Per Recorded Chain
Blankenship Steven M
Blankenship Kimberly M
Deed 2026032587 · Recorded 6 Apr 2026
⚠ Conflicts with Tax Roll
Per DC Tax Roll · MyTax DC
Emerson, Leonidas P
Emerson, Ramona M
Source · DC OTR, live as of 17 Aug 2026
⚠ Reconciliation required prior to closing
Legal Description
Basis Deed · 2026032587
Lot numbered Ninety-Two (92), in Square numbered Thirty-Nine Hundred Fifty-Two (3952), in the subdivision made by Dorie C. Gruber, and others as per plat recorded in Liber 114, at Folio 31, in the Office of the Surveyor for the District of Columbia.
Survey & Plat References
Standard Schedule B title exception — instrument recorded in the DC Office of the Surveyor. Covenants, restrictions, rights-of-way, and easements run with the land and are excepted from title coverage.
TypeReferenceSource
Subdivision PlatBook 114, Page 81DC Office of the Surveyor
⚠ Land records index discrepancy — DC GIS/SurDocs indexes this parcel to Page 81 while the basis deed cites Folio 31. Basis deed folio is the controlling legal reference.
⚠ Open real property tax balance(s): Current Year (2nd half): $953.05. Verify current status with DC OTR before closing.
Condominium unit. Vesting is confirmed against the tax roll; the unit's recorded exceptions are carried in the next stop.
Per Recorded Chain
Townes Brian K
Deed 2026056184 · Recorded 8 Jun 2026
✓ Matches DC Tax Roll
Per DC Tax Roll · MyTax DC
Townes, Brian K
Source · DC OTR, live as of 11 Aug 2026
Legal Description
Basis Deed · 2026056184
UNIT #N113 in the Condominium known as "CARROLLSBURG, A CONDOMINIUM", according to the Declaration of Condominium dated March 13, 1980 and recorded March 25, 1980 as Instrument No. 10009 and the By-Laws of Condominium recorded March 25, 1980 as Instrument No. 10010 among the Land Records of the District of Columbia, and any recorded amendments thereto, and as per plat recorded in the Office of the Surveyor in Condominium Book 24 at Page 24. Together with an undivided percentage share interest in the Common Elements of said CARROLLSBURG, a Condominium as set forth in said Declaration and the Exhibits thereto. Said Condominium project is situate on Lot Three Hundred Two (302) in Square Five Hundred Forty-Six (546), as per plat recorded in Liber 133 at folio 4. Said property being now known for assessment and taxation purposes as Lot 2396 in Square 0546.
Unit vs Master Record Lot
Two identifiers describe this unit: the master record lot the regime sits on (Square 0546, Lot 0302) and the tax lot assigned to the unit (Lot 2396). Governing instruments index to the master lot; assessments and the tax roll index to the unit lot. Both are resolved and cross-referenced in the briefing.
IdentifierReferenceIndexes
Master record lotSquare 0546 · Lot 0302Declaration, by-laws, amendments
Unit tax lotSquare 0546 · Lot 2396DC OTR assessment & tax roll
⚠ Open real property tax balance: $601.16. Verify current status with DC OTR before closing.
Entity-owned commercial property. Vesting matches the tax roll; authority to bind the entity is a separate pre-closing item.
Per Recorded Chain
MARE LLC
Deed 2025030708 · Recorded 28 Mar 2025 · $5,150,000
✓ Matches DC Tax Roll
Per DC Tax Roll · MyTax DC
MARE, LLC
Source · DC OTR, live as of 24 Aug 2026
Legal Description
Basis Deed · 2025030708
Lot numbered Thirty-four (34) in Square numbered Twelve Hundred Six (1206) in a subdivision made by Crandall Mackey, as per the plat recorded in Liber 31 at folio 194 among the Records in the Office of the Surveyor for the District of Columbia. With a property address of: 3299 M Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20007 Tax Map Number: 1206 0034
Entity Vesting — What the Record Cannot Tell You
Name concordance between the deed and the tax roll confirms who holds title. It says nothing about whether the person who signed had authority to bind the LLC — operating agreements and corporate resolutions are not recorded and sit outside the examination. The briefing raises it as a finding rather than implying the record settles it.
ElementStatusSource
Vested ownerMARE LLC — confirmedDeed 2025030708 · DC OTR
Signing authorityNot of record — verifyLLC formation documents
Acquisition financingNo purchase-money trust recordedROD index · full chain
⚠ Open real property tax balance: $22,873.96. DC tax liens prime every private encumbrance of record under DC Code § 47-1340.
Stop 03 · Schedule B-I

Every requirement to cure before closing — ranked.

Schedule B-I lists what must be furnished, paid or released. Each requirement line is followed by its full finding card: severity-tagged, tied to the recorded instrument that created it, and accompanied by a one-line rationale so reviewers can audit the call, not just trust it — and an Explain button that surfaces the underlying reasoning.

  • Ranked by severity — blockers, required-at-closing, informational
  • Every finding names the cure and when it's due
  • "Explain" opens the reasoning behind the classification
In practiceA reviewer can triage the entire file in under three minutes — and know exactly which instruments to pull.
§ 1 · Schedule B-I · Requirements2 required · 2 informational2 blockers · 1 required · 2 informational3 required · 3 informational1 required · 10 informational
Items ordered by severity. Required items must be resolved before or at closing.
Items ordered by severity. Required items must be resolved before or at closing.
Condominium unit. Association liens carry limited statutory super-priority — ranked accordingly.
Commercial acquisition. Entity authority, fixture filings, and tenancy are examined alongside the recorded chain.
Stop 04 · Schedule B-II

The exceptions that survive closing — pulled from the instrument, not summarized.

Requirements get cured. Schedule B-II exceptions do not — they run with the land and end up in the commitment. ClearTitle AI reads the lettered exceptions out of the controlling deed verbatim, then adds the plats, the condominium declaration and by-laws, every recorded amendment, and the deed the underlying land came from.

  • Lettered exceptions quoted from the recorded instrument, with liber and folio
  • Condo regimes: declaration, by-laws, amendments, condo plat, regime number and phase
  • Master record lot reconciled to the unit tax lot — the mismatch that breaks most automated searches
In practiceThe exceptions half of a commitment is typed from the briefing instead of re-read out of a 1980 declaration.
§ 1 · Schedule B-II · Exceptions1 plat exception1 plat · 1 index discrepancy6 lettered · 2 plats · 7 governing instruments1 plat · 1 historic district · 3 UCC · 1 lease
Recorded exceptions that run with the land and are excepted from title coverage.
Survey & Plat References
Standard Schedule B exception — instrument recorded in the DC Office of the Surveyor. Covenants, restrictions, rights-of-way, and easements run with the land.
TypeReferenceSource
Subdivision PlatLiber 111 / Folio 137DC Office of the Surveyor
Fee simple · detachedNo regime documentsNo lettered exceptions of record
A clean detached file carries one plat exception. The section exists on every briefing so a reviewer never has to ask whether it was checked.
Recorded exceptions that run with the land and are excepted from title coverage.
Survey & Plat References
Standard Schedule B exception — instrument recorded in the DC Office of the Surveyor.
TypeReferenceSource
Subdivision PlatBook 114 / Page 81DC Office of the Surveyor
⚠ Land records index discrepancy — DC GIS/SurDocs indexes this parcel to Page 81 while the basis deed cites Folio 31. Basis deed folio is the controlling legal reference.
Two sources disagreed on the plat reference. The briefing states which one controls rather than silently picking one.
Conveyance made subject to the recorded exceptions below. These instruments run with the land and are excluded from title coverage.
Schedule B Title Exceptions
Carried forward from instrument 8000003859 — the deed conveying the underlying land into the regime. Quoted as recorded.
ItemDescriptionReference
(A)Single Building Agreement, dated January 27, 1964 and recorded March 17, 1964.Liber 12172 / Folio 619
(B)Accessory Parking Covenant, dated January 27, 1964 and recorded March 17, 1964.Liber 12173 / Folio 01
(C)Covenant regarding surface water between the District of Columbia Redevelopment Land Agency and the District of Columbia, dated March 15, 1961 and recorded April 17, 1961.Liber 11584 / Folio 351
(D)Easements created and reserved as per plat recorded in Book 129 at Page 44, as modified by plat recorded in Book 141 at Page 14.Bk 129/44 · Bk 141/14
(I)Grantee shall not discriminate upon the basis of race, sex, creed, color or national origin in the sale, lease, use or occupancy of the property or any part thereof.RLA covenant
(J)Grantee shall use the property only for those uses permitted under the laws of the District of Columbia and the Plan, as amended from time to time.RLA covenant
Condominium Governing Documents
Indexed to master record lot Square 0546 / Lot 0302 — not to the unit tax lot. Every amendment of record is listed, because each one is its own Schedule B exception.
InstrumentTypeRecordedGrantor
8000010009Condo Declaration25 Mar 1980Eureka Investment Corp N.V.
8000010010Condo By-Laws25 Mar 1980Eureka Investment Corp N.V.
8000022941Declaration Amendment23 Jul 1980Continental Illinois Nat'l Bank
8700000676Declaration Amendment6 Jan 1987Rettig William O
8700009340Declaration Amendment27 Feb 1987Garland George
8700009344Declaration Amendment27 Feb 1987Garland George
8700015539Declaration Amendment11 Apr 1987Eureka Condominium, Inc.
Condo Regime No. 2282Phase 1Condo Plat · Book 24 / Page 24Subdivision Plat · Bk 133/4 & Bk 144/73
Land Title Derivation
Title to the land underlying this condominium derives from instrument 8000003859, recorded 1 Feb 1980 — District of Columbia Redevelopment Land Agency to Carrollsburg Square Corp. The lettered exceptions above are the covenants that deed imposed, and they still bind unit N113 forty-six years later.
Recorded exceptions plus the regulatory overlay. Commercial files carry exceptions that never appear on a residential chain.
Survey & Plat References
Standard Schedule B exception — instrument recorded in the DC Office of the Surveyor.
TypeReferenceSource
Subdivision Plat · Crandall MackeyLiber 31 / Folio 194DC Office of the Surveyor
Regulatory Overlay — Schedule B-2
The property sits inside the Georgetown Historic District. Under DC Code § 6-1101 et seq., any exterior alteration, addition, subdivision, or demolition needs Historic Preservation Review Board approval before a permit issues. HPRB covenants and approval conditions run with the land, so the designation itself belongs on Schedule B-2.
OverlayAuthorityEffect
Georgetown Historic DistrictDC Code § 6-1101HPRB review before permit
Zoning MU-4DC ZR16Mixed-use, commercial permitted
⚠ 13 DOB permits on file; 2 expired without recorded closure (E1201423, D1100356). Confirm the work was completed and inspected, and that no unpermitted exterior alteration was made.
Unterminated UCC Fixture Filings
A fixture filing attaches to real property improvements — built-in equipment, HVAC, walk-in refrigeration — and survives the sale until terminated by UCC-3. Three remain open of record on this restaurant, the oldest by forty-four years. UCC filings recorded at DC ROD are in scope; non-fixture filings at DCRA are not.
FiledDocumentDebtorSecured Party
3 Oct 19969600064704Aditi Indian Cuisine · Intercontinental EnterprisesSouthern Financial Bank
2 Jan 19969600000133Aditi Indian Cuisine · Intercontinental EnterprisesSouthern Financial Bank
14 Jul 19828200017517Archma Restaurant · Simson KalatharaCill Company Inc
Recorded Lease — Tenancy Survives Transfer
Leasehold instrument 9600064703, recorded 3 Oct 1996 by Intercontinental Enterprises Inc in favor of Southern Financial Bank. A purchaser or lender takes title subject to any recorded leasehold interest. The briefing calls for pulling the instrument to establish whether it is a ground lease, space lease, or leasehold mortgage, an estoppel certificate from the tenant, and an SNDA where a lender is involved — then carrying it as a Schedule B-2 exception.
Stop 05 · Scope & Exam Notes

The boundaries of the examination — stated explicitly.

Every briefing includes a plain-language scope section that defines exactly what was searched, what is outside the search boundary, and what would be needed to upgrade the analysis to commitment grade.

  • Search date and SSL confirmed
  • Court records, UCC, and bring-down requirements called out explicitly
  • Examination notes surface data-quality flags and AI-assisted resolution steps
In practiceA reviewer knows in one glance whether commitment-grade reliance requires a fresh bring-down search.
§ 2 · Scope & Exam NotesSSL 2351-0034 · Exam 18 Aug 2026SSL 3952-0092 · Exam 18 Aug 2026SSL 0546-2396 · Exam 11 Aug 2026SSL 1206-0034 · Exam 24 Aug 2026
Defines the boundaries of this examination. Review before issuing any title commitment.
Chain Horizon
30 years · 1939–2021
Data Quality Score
55 / 100
Tax Balance
$5,411.27
Examination Notes

DC OTR records reflect an outstanding tax balance of $5,411.27. Examiner should confirm payoff status and obtain a tax certificate prior to closing. The 30-year chain for this Residential-Detached-Single-Family property includes 48 party variations resolved across 54 entity clusters. Examination date: 2026-08-18.

Search scope: DC Recorder of Deeds recorded chain only. Court records (DC Superior Court judgments, federal court liens) not searched. Commitment-grade reliance requires a bring-down search within 10 days of scheduled closing. This report is a preliminary AI-assisted analysis and does not constitute a title commitment or underwriting opinion.

Defines the boundaries of this examination. Review before issuing any title commitment.
Chain Horizon
29 years · 1997–2026
Data Quality Score
55 / 100
Tax Balance
$953.05
Examination Notes

DC OTR records reflect an outstanding tax balance of $953.05. Examiner should confirm payoff status and obtain a tax certificate prior to closing. The chain for this Residential-Row-Single-Family property includes 83 party variations resolved across 46 entity clusters. DC DOB records indicate 2 title-flagged permits. Examination date: 2026-08-18.

Search scope: DC Recorder of Deeds recorded chain only. Court records (DC Superior Court judgments, federal court liens) not searched. Commitment-grade reliance requires a bring-down search within 10 days of scheduled closing. This report is a preliminary AI-assisted analysis and does not constitute a title commitment or underwriting opinion.

Defines the boundaries of this examination. Review before issuing any title commitment.
Chain Horizon
41 years · 1985–2026
Data Quality Score
55 / 100
Tax Balance
$601.16
Examination Notes

DC OTR records reflect an outstanding tax balance of $601.16. The 30-year chain for this Residential-Condo-Vertical property includes 109 party variations resolved across 54 entity clusters. DC DOB records indicate 7 title-flagged permits, including 2 active permits issued to the current owner — completion status should be verified for each. Examination date: 2026-08-11.

Search scope: DC Recorder of Deeds recorded chain only. Court records (DC Superior Court judgments, federal court liens) not searched. UCC fixture filings recorded at DC ROD are in scope; non-fixture UCC filings with DC DCRA are outside it. Mechanics lien and lis pendens exposure is limited to instruments of record as of the examination date. Commitment-grade reliance requires a bring-down search within 10 days of scheduled closing. This report is a preliminary AI-assisted analysis and does not constitute a title commitment or underwriting opinion.

Defines the boundaries of this examination. Review before issuing any title commitment.
Chain Horizon
47 years · 1978–2025
Data Quality Score
40 / 100
Tax Balance
$22,873.96
Examination Notes

DC OTR records reflect an outstanding tax balance of $22,873.96. Examiner should confirm payoff status and obtain a tax certificate prior to closing. Property type: Commercial-Restaurant. Entity normalization active across all examined instruments — 77 entity clusters resolved; data quality score 40/100, reduced by a 96% party name variation rate. Property is located within the Georgetown Historic District — renovation permits should be reviewed for HPRB compliance prior to closing. DC DOB records indicate 13 permits on file; 2 expired without recorded closure (E1201423, D1100356). Examination date: 2026-08-24.

Search scope: DC Recorder of Deeds recorded chain only. Court records (DC Superior Court judgments, federal court liens) not searched. UCC fixture filings recorded at DC ROD are included in scope; non-fixture UCC filings (equipment, receivables, general intangibles) filed with DC DCRA are outside search scope. Mechanics lien and lis pendens exposure limited to instruments of record as of the examination date. Commitment-grade reliance requires a bring-down search within 10 days of scheduled closing. This report is a preliminary AI-assisted analysis and does not constitute a title commitment or underwriting opinion.

Why the confidence score is low — and why that is the useful answer

A 40/100 is not a failure state, it is a disclosure. Ninety-six percent of parties in this chain appear under name variants, which is what forty-seven years of restaurant operators, family partitions, and entity conversions produce. The briefing resolves them into 77 clusters and then tells you the resolution was hard, so your examiner knows which part of the file to re-read rather than trusting a clean-looking summary.

Stop 06 · Chain of Title

A readable history of the file, cited line by line.

Most chain reports are tables. This one is prose — a narrative that walks the recorded conveyances in order, with every instrument number and date linked back to the source filing.

  • Generated from recorded instruments, not from summaries
  • Instrument references are inline and traceable
  • Identifies SSL mismatches, partial conveyances, and timing breaks
In practiceA non-specialist can read the chain and follow it. A specialist can audit every claim against the cited document.
§ 3 · Chain of Title1939 — 2021 · 6 eras · 46 instruments2003 — 2026 · 3 eras · 30 instruments1985 — 2026 · 5 eras · 29 instruments1983 — 2025 · 8 eras · 62 instruments
Recorded conveyances in order, from first instrument in the search horizon to present vesting.

Recorded chain of title for SSL 2351-0034. Title currently vests in Uma Iyer and Satish Iyer per basis deed 2018048177, recorded 2018-05-14. The chain extends to 1939 — the Hadley subdivision transfer — with six consecutive ownerships and no gaps or material discontinuities.

Gerald P. and Kathryn Ann Lenoir held the property for 47 years (1967–2014), financing through Bank of America, USAA Federal Savings, and Chevy Chase Bank — all releases confirmed of record. On 2014-09-02, Kathryn Ann Lenoir conveyed to herself and Karen A. Lenoir as joint tenants (2014080067). Following Kathryn's passing, the Estate and Christine Lenoir Romero conveyed to Karen A. Lenoir (2018012446, 2018-02-05).

On 2018-05-14, Karen A. Lenoir conveyed to the present grantees, Uma Iyer and Satish Iyer (2018048177). Two later refinances (2019129273, 2020048791) were both satisfied of record. One open deed of trust to Roshan Alavi (2021124726) remains of record — payoff required at closing.

Recorded conveyances in order, from first instrument in the search horizon to present vesting.

Recorded chain of title for SSL 3952-0092. Title currently vests in Steven M. and Kimberly M. Blankenship per deed 2026032587, recorded 2026-04-06. The examination covers three ownership eras from 2003 to present.

Karol D. Freeman conveyed to Laura Wilson via deed 2003124302 (2003-09-30). Wilson then conveyed to Leonidas P. and Ramona M. Emerson via deed 2006135309 (2006-10-03). Foreclosure proceedings by Nationstar Mortgage LLC were commenced (lis pendens 2026000965, filed 2026-01-06) and fully resolved prior to the current acquisition: lis pendens released 2026-04-10 (2026034832), underlying trust satisfied 2026-04-15 (2026036072).

On 2026-04-06, the Emersons conveyed to Steven M. and Kimberly M. Blankenship (2026032587) — however, the DC Tax Roll has not yet been updated to reflect this conveyance, the ownership discrepancy flagged in § 1 and § 2. A purchase-money deed of trust (2026032588, $300,000, in favor of Harry E. Dean) is open and payable at closing. An unsatisfied judgment lien (2019013204) by Bayview Loan Servicing LLC remains against the prior owners and constitutes a title blocker requiring investigation and recorded release.

Recorded conveyances in order, from first instrument in the search horizon to present vesting.

Recorded chain of title for SSL 0546-2396. Title currently vests in Brian K. Townes per basis deed 2026056184, recorded 2026-06-08. The examination covers five ownership eras from the original unit sale in 1985 to present, with no gaps.

Eureka Investment Corp N.V. and Eureka Condominium Inc. conveyed unit N113 to Lawrence J. Caw by deed 8500043655 (1985-11-20), establishing initial unit ownership. The Caw family then held the unit through three intra-family conveyances — 9100059245 (1991), 9700038146 (1997) — with acquisition financing released of record each time. The 1998 trust taken by Lawrence J. Caw and Roberta Jordan-Caw (9800031988) remains open of record with no release identified.

Nicholas A. Maxwell acquired the unit by deed 2002131031 (2002-11-12) and held it until 2026. Foreclosure proceedings by U.S. Bank and Wachovia (lis pendens 2023069183) were resolved without a trustee's sale — lis pendens released 2024-01-08 (2024001921), underlying trust satisfied 2026-06-16 (2026058900). Maxwell conveyed to Brian K. Townes on 2026-06-08 (2026056184). One 2005 trust (2005026942) and one 1994 trust (9400034617) remain open of record from prior ownership, and certificate of satisfaction 2003063994 is an orphan release — it names no related instrument and cannot be matched to any encumbrance in the chain.

Recorded conveyances in order, from first instrument in the search horizon to present vesting.

Recorded chain of title for SSL 1206-0034. Title currently vests in MARE LLC per basis deed 2025030708, recorded 2025-03-28 for $5,150,000. Sixty-two documents were retrieved across eight ownership eras spanning 1983 to 2025.

The 1983 sequence is the part that requires reading rather than scanning. Ball Lu Hu Chuen conveyed to Ball Peter L by deed 8300000736 (1983-01-07), who reconveyed the same day by deed 8300000738. On 1983-02-03, three further deeds were recorded — Ball Andrew L, Ball Pao Lin, and Ball Hannah L each conveying to Ball Lu Hu Chuen (8300003290, 8300003291, 8300003292) — none of whom appear anywhere earlier in the chain as grantees. Fractional interests were being consolidated from a source the recorded chain does not document.

A consolidating deed (8500026061, recorded 1985-07-18) from all six Ball parties to Ball Lu Hu Chuen confirms sole ownership as of that date, which is what closes the 1983 gaps. The briefing classifies them informational rather than as blockers for exactly that reason, and says so.

Ball Lu Hu Chuen conveyed to Linda H and Speros Paul Loukas (8600029041, 1986-07-22) with two contemporaneous purchase-money trusts. The Loukases conveyed to Intercontinental Enterprises Inc (9600000131, 1996-01-02), which conveyed to 3299 M St LLC, and title reached MARE LLC in March 2025. No purchase-money trust was recorded against the $5.15M acquisition — an examiner-facing question, not a defect.

Stop 07 · Instrument Abstract

Every instrument, tabbed by type.

The full instrument abstract is organized into tabs by type — so reviewers jump straight to the instrument type they need rather than scrolling a flat list.

  • Tabs replace one long flat table
  • Status shown on every instrument, not just a summary count
  • Living-document stamp — the abstract date moves forward as instruments are re-examined
In practiceA reviewer jumps straight to Tax Status or Mortgages & DOTs instead of scrolling past instrument types they don't need.
§ 4 · Instrument Abstract46 instruments · 1 flagged30 instruments · 2 flagged29 instruments · 2 flagged62 documents · 5 flagged
§ 4 · Instrument Abstract · SSL 2351-0034
6690 32nd St NW · 46 instruments
Exam 18 Aug 2026
Tax Account: 2351-0034 · $5,411.27 balance due
§ 4 · Instrument Abstract · SSL 3952-0092
2321 13th Pl NE · 30 instruments
Exam 18 Aug 2026
Tax Account: 3952-0092 · $953.05 balance due
§ 4 · Instrument Abstract · SSL 0546-2396
300 M St SW #N113 · 29 instruments
Exam 11 Aug 2026
Tax Account: 0546-2396 · $601.16 balance due
§ 4 · Instrument Abstract · SSL 1206-0034
3299 M St NW · 62 documents retrieved
Exam 24 Aug 2026
Tax Account: 1206-0034 · $22,873.96 balance due
Stop 08 · Examiner Inferences

Patterns across the corpus — surfaced before you ask.

After all sections are generated, a second reasoning pass scans the full corpus for patterns that don't rise to the level of a formal finding but warrant examiner attention. Each inference is advisory, signal-grounded, and clearly scoped — never a duplicate of what's already in the §1 memo, never a cure instruction without an instrument anchor.

  • Triggered by corpus-level signals, not keyword matching — the inference engine reads relationships between instruments, not just individual flags
  • Severity-labeled: Advisory, Review, or Attention — each with a plain-English basis statement that names the signals that drove the pattern
  • Every card carries an examiner action — a specific, instrument-grounded step for the examiner to verify or rule out
  • Confidence level shown explicitly — the system distinguishes between "this pattern is clearly present" and "this warrants a look but the corpus doesn't settle it"
  • Each card has its own ◎ Ask button that surfaces the full reasoning behind that inference in the examination chat — including the specific signals that triggered it and the instruments involved
What it is — and deliberately isn'tExaminer Inferences is marked Beta because the pattern engine is being calibrated against real pilot files. It will never generate a finding that duplicates §1, and it will never assert a connection between instruments that the corpus hasn't established. When the corpus doesn't settle something, the inference says so plainly.
Examiner Inferences · Commercial file · 3333 K St NW · SSL 1184 / 0049
Examiner Inferences Beta
Review
Tax super-priority risk relative to open deed of trust
The outstanding real property tax balance of $4,492 holds statutory super-priority over all recorded deeds of trust under DC Code §47-1340. If not cleared at closing, the tax obligation may prime the lender's security interest regardless of recording order — a risk the briefing flags as informational but that warrants explicit confirmation at settlement.
Basis: tax delinquency signal · open DOT 2026083249 · DC Code §47-1340 super-priority rule
→ Action Obtain a current tax certificate from DC OTR and confirm zero balance at or before settlement. Verify lender's payoff letter accounts for any tax obligation at closing.
Advisory
UCC-1 fixture filings approaching or past 5-year lapse window
Two UCC-1 fixture filings in the corpus (2019044821, 2019044822) were recorded in 2019. Under DC Code §28:9-515, a UCC-1 financing statement lapses automatically after five years unless a UCC-3 continuation is filed before the lapse date. No continuation instruments were identified in the examined chain. If the secured party has filed continuations outside the DC ROD search window, they would not appear here.
Basis: UCC-1 recording dates 2019 · no UCC-3 continuation identified · DC Code §28:9-515 lapse rule
→ Action Confirm lapse status directly with DC ROD and DCRA. If lapsed, no termination instrument is required — but verify the secured party's intent. If still active via a continuation not captured in this search, obtain UCC-3 termination before closing.
Confidence
Attention Review Advisory
Each inference names the specific signals that triggered it and the instruments involved. The confidence label reflects how strongly the corpus supports the pattern — not how serious the finding is.
Stop 09 · Examination Chat

A reasoning layer that already read the file.

Every briefing includes a persistent chat panel grounded strictly in the examined corpus for that SSL. Not a general-purpose assistant — a colleague who read all 69 instruments before you opened the file, and can only speak to what those instruments contain.

  • Opening questions are generated from the file's actual triage signals — not generic placeholders. On a Georgetown commercial file with an open government UCC and a tax delinquency, you get questions about those things specifically.
  • Every factual claim must cite a document number from the examined corpus. If the model can't cite one, it says so explicitly rather than asserting the fact.
  • Cure instructions carry a verification reminder — the chat surfaces the path, the examiner confirms it. Instrument numbers that appear in the answer but weren't in the examined corpus are flagged in amber, visually, before you read past them.
  • Each Examiner Inference card has its own chat entry point — one tap surfaces the reasoning behind the AI's pattern detection for that specific inference.
  • Section-level Ask buttons on §1 Pre-Commitment Memo, §2 Scope, §3 Chain, and the Inferences section let examiners ask about the whole section, not just individual findings.
Why this is differentEvery other AI chat is a search box that happens to know about title work. This one loaded your file, read the instruments, and can only answer from what it found. The scope boundary is structural, not a prompt instruction.
◎ Examination Chat · Commercial file · 3333 K St NW
Ask about this file SSL 1184 / 0049
Suggested for this file
Q Outstanding deed of trust — active building-level encumbrance
Q What does DC Code §47-1340 mean for the outstanding tax balance at closing?
Q Priority order of 2 open encumbrances
What payoff documentation is required for the open deed of trust?
Doc 2026083249, a $23M building-level trust recorded 27 Aug 2026 in favor of the institutional beneficiary, is the active encumbrance. A current payoff statement addressed to the lender, confirmation of wire instructions, and a recordable release or deed of reconveyance executed by the beneficiary are required at settlement. DC ROD requires the release to reference the original instrument number and be executed before a notary with a DC acknowledgment.
✓ Corpus-grounded 1 instrument cited ⓘ Cure steps require independent verification
Ask about a finding, instrument, or lien…
Beta · Grounded in the recorded chain for this file only · Not legal advice · 25 questions remaining
Examiner Inferences · Per-card chat entry
Examiner Inferences Beta
Review
Tax super-priority risk relative to open DOT
The outstanding real property tax balance of $4,492 holds statutory super-priority over all recorded deeds of trust under DC Code §47-1340. If not cleared at closing, tax liens may prime the lender's security interest regardless of recording order.
→ Action Obtain a current tax certificate from DC OTR and confirm payoff at or before settlement.
Section-level Ask buttons
§ 2 · Scope & Examination Notes ◎ Ask
§ 1 · Pre-Commitment Memo ◎ Ask
§ 3 · Chain of Title Narrative ◎ Ask
Examiner Inferences ◎ Ask about all
Each button pre-populates a question scoped to that section's actual content — not a generic search prompt.

Built for early-stage title review

  • Searches the land records and reconstructs chain of title in one step (DC Recorder of Deeds, Maryland Land Records).
  • Separates title analysis into readable layers: posture, chain continuity, vesting, encumbrances, risk, and cure.
  • Designed to support title examiners, attorneys, and underwriting teams before final clearance decisions are made.

Positioning

The search and the first examination, in one step, derived from recorded land records. Structured to support examiner workflows, replace the abstract order and first-pass read, and improve issue visibility.

What it is — and what it deliberately isn't

✓The search and the first examination in minutes, not days, as a structured, source-linked briefing.
✓Surfaces open items, vesting, and a cure path your team can act on.
✓Built to accelerate examiner, attorney, and underwriting review.
—Not a title agent or insurer. No commitments, policies, or legal opinions are issued.
—Your licensed examiner confirms the findings and issues the commitment. A bring-down search within 10 days of closing is still required.

What we touch

You enter only a public DC Square & Lot (or, in the Maryland beta, by invitation, a property address) — no client files, no PII, nothing privileged. ClearTitle AI runs that public identifier against the official land records, tax and assessment records (DC Recorder of Deeds and OTR; Maryland Land Records, SDAT and county tax records). There's nothing of yours to store, and no client work product to train on. The briefing is yours to verify, work outside our system, and rely on at your discretion.

Why the format works

  • Verdict first. A reviewer knows the file's posture in five seconds, before opening a single instrument.
  • Reasoning is exposed. Every finding carries a "why this matters" line so the call can be audited, not just trusted.
  • Source-linked throughout. Instrument numbers in the narrative and in the index resolve to the recorded filing.
  • Exceptions quoted, not paraphrased. Schedule B items come out of the recorded instrument with liber and folio intact — including condo declarations, by-laws, and every amendment.
  • One workflow, top to bottom. The same briefing serves the closer, the examiner, the underwriter, and the client.
  • ◎ A reasoning layer wired into every section. The examination chat loaded your file, read the instruments, and can only answer from what it found in the examined corpus. Ask about any finding, lien, or cure step — and it will cite the instrument or tell you it can't. That constraint is the feature.
  • ⬡ Examiner Inferences surfaces what the pipeline didn't formally flag. A second reasoning pass after all sections are generated — corpus-wide pattern detection that identifies relationships between instruments, advisory signals, and UCC lapse windows. Each inference names the signals that triggered it and the instruments involved. Never a duplicate of §1, never a cure instruction without an anchor.

Pilot access is by invitation.

Start with 2 complimentary briefings — ideally files you already know cold, so you can judge the output against what you'd produce yourself. No commitment, no card. If it holds up, the paid pilot is 10 production files over 30 days. Move to production pricing only once it has earned it.

Try · 2 free
Validate · $995 · 10 briefings / 30 days
Convert · $295 res / $595 com · standard rate
Request pilot access → Residential sample ↗ Defects sample ↗ Condo sample ↗ Commercial sample ↗ Pilot brief ↗
ClearTitle AI™ is software and does not provide legal advice, title opinions, title insurance, or escrow / settlement services. Briefings are informational, derived from recorded land records, and should be independently verified prior to any closing, underwriting, or third-party reliance.

Preview Center
v2026.10 · 19 Oct 2026