Abstract:
The above and other needs are met by a system for examining title to a real estate parcel including software operable on a processing device in electrical communication with a display for viewing information associated with the software. A database of electronic real estate documents is in electrical communication with the processing device and accessible using the software. A grantor list and grantee list of selectable links are viewable on the display device, such that the selectable links relate to electronic real estate documents.

Description:
FIELD  
       [0001]     The invention relates to systems for accessing property records. More specifically, the invention relates to a system and a method for making property records available on a network or computer system.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     Grantor and grantee indexes have been used for many years as a tool to trace title to specific parcels of land. Ordinarily, land titles are recorded in county courthouses, and are made available in large indexed volumes. These volumes, often referred to as grantor and grantee indexes, allow land titles to be traced back to a grant from an original owner of the property. The method of tracing title back is cumbersome and can entail significant labor expenses.  
         [0003]     In a typical search for title, a person will look to the grantee index first (also referred to as the “indirect” index). The present owner will be found in the grantee index and the chain of title will be followed back in time to a certain point. Title may be traced back only fifty years in some jurisdictions, or perhaps back to the original owner of the property. When a desired point in a grantee index is reached, the searching party switches to a corresponding grantor index to trace title forward to the current owner. This process is used to ensure that no adverse interests have been created during the period being researched.  
         [0004]     After a title search using grantor/grantee indexes has been completed, and if no encumbrances are found, the title is generally considered as valid for the given parcel of land. After completion of the title search, a certificate of title will often be provided to indicate a successful title search.  
         [0005]     These searches, though conclusive, can be expensive and time consuming. The organization of these volumes can vary from county to county and from volume to volume. Often, an abstract is consulted in lieu of a traditional title search. Abstracts are essentially summaries of the pertinent information found in grantor/grantee indexes and other related documents. The benefit of using abstracts is that their use cuts down on the time required to gather and sift through relevant volumes of grantor/grantee indexes and other related documents. A distinctive drawback, however, is that abstracts are not the original documents found in grantor/grantee indexes and related volumes. It is generally accepted that the only failsafe way that good marketable title can be established is to trace title back to the original owner. Using the actual documents found in county courthouses best ensures the accuracy of such searches.  
         [0006]     There is, therefore, a need for a system and an improved method that combines the use of actual grantor/grantee indexes and other related documents with a faster ways of accessing these actual indexes than sifting through them by hand.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0007]     The above and other needs are met by a system for examining title to a real estate parcel including software operable on a processing device in electrical communication with a display for viewing information associated with the software. A database of electronic real estate documents is in electrical communication with the processing device and accessible using the software. A grantor list and grantee list of selectable links are viewable on the display device, such that the selectable links relate to electronic real estate documents. The present invention is preferably operable on the internet.  
         [0008]     The grantor list and grantee list preferably link to lists of grantor index links and lists of grantee index links respectively. The grantor index links direct a user to grantor indexes and the grantee index links direct a user to grantee indexes. The grantor list and grantee list may also link directly to grantor and grantee indexes. The present invention may also be used to access electronic real estate documents such as deeds and platt maps. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]     Further advantages of the invention are apparent by reference to the detailed description when considered in conjunction with the figures, which are not to scale so as to more clearly show the details, wherein like reference numbers indicate like elements throughout the several views, and wherein:  
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a screen shot from a display device according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.  
         [0011]      FIG. 2  is a second screen shot from a display device according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.  
         [0012]      FIG. 3  is a third screen shot from a display device according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0013]     The invention provides a system and method for combining copies of actual grantor/grantee volumes and other related documents with a network for accessing these copies. In a preferred embodiment, the system includes software that is operable on a processing device. The processing device has access to a display device that is connected to the processing device. The connection between the display device and the processing device may be a wired or a wireless system.  
         [0014]     With reference now to  FIG. 1 , a screen shot from the display device is shown according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. In a preferred embodiment, a plurality of selectable links are displayed on the display device. Preferably, the selectable links are arranged in a plurality of lists.  
         [0015]     In a preferred embodiment, an Index Book list  8  includes at least one selectable link  24 . Each selectable link  24  represents at least one set of Grantor/Grantee indexes. In a preferred embodiment, the selectable links  24  of the Index Book list  8  are organized sequentially based on the date of corresponding books of Grantor/Grantee Indexes. When a selectable link  24  of the Index Book list  8  is chosen by a user, a corresponding Grantor list  10  and a Grantee list  12  are displayed.  
         [0016]     In a preferred embodiment, the Grantor list  10  and the Grantee list  12  include a plurality of selectable links  26 . The Grantor list  10  includes selectable links  26  related to grantors of real estate parcels. The Grantee list  12  also includes the selectable links  26  related to grantees of real estate parcels. Preferably, the selectable links  26  of the Grantor list  10  are alphabetically organized based on the first letter or letters of the grantors&#39; respective surnames or business names. The selectable links  26  of the Grantee list  12  are alphabetically organized based on the first letter or letters of the grantees&#39; respective surnames or business names. In an alternate embodiment, the Grantor list  10  and the Grantee list  12  may be organized using other applicable methods, such as organization by the address of the real estate parcel.  
         [0017]     Preferably, each selectable link  26  of the Grantor list  10  corresponds to a collection of Grantor indexes and each selectable link of the Grantee list  12  corresponds to a collection of Grantee indexes. The collections of Grantor indexes and Grantee indexes are preferably book of indexes as kept in the Register of Deeds for the particular county being searched.  
         [0018]     Preferably, each of the selectable links  26  in the Grantor list  10  correspond with at least one index list of selectable links. When a selectable link of the Grantor list  10  is chosen by a user, at least one corresponding index list is displayed. In a preferred embodiment, four index lists are displayed including an individual surname list  14  of selectable links, an individual mixed list  16  of selectable links, a firm name list of selectable links  18 , and a firm mixed list  20  of selectable links. Each of the selectable links of the index lists corresponds with a particular Grantor index page or set of grantor index pages. When a selectable link of an index list is chosen by a user, the corresponding Grantor index pages are displayed on the display device.  
         [0019]     The individual surname lists  14  preferably include selectable links including a surname. Each selectable link preferably corresponds to Grantor index pages. Every grantor listed on the index page preferably has the given surname. The individual mixed list  16  includes selectable links having an alphabetical range. Each selectable link preferably corresponds to grantor index pages, with every grantor listed on the index page preferably having a surname within the alphabetical range. The firm name list  18  includes selectable links including firm names. Each selectable link preferably corresponds to grantor index pages, with every grantor listed on the index page preferably having the firm name. The firm mixed list  20  includes selectable links including an alphabetical range. Each selectable link preferably corresponds to grantor index pages, with every grantor listed on the index page preferably having a firm name within the alphabetical range.  
         [0020]     The Grantee list  12  preferably functions substantially the same as the Grantor list  10 . The selectable links  26  in the Grantee list  12  correspond with at least one index list of selectable links. When a selectable link of the Grantee list  12  is chosen by a user, at least one corresponding index list is displayed. In a preferred embodiment, as with the Grantor list  10 , four index lists are displayed when a Grantee list  12  selectable link is chosen including an individual surname list  14  of selectable links, an individual mixed list  16  of selectable links, a firm name list of selectable links  18 , and a firm mixed list  20  of selectable links. Each of the selectable links of the index lists corresponds with a particular Grantee index page or set of pages. When a selectable link of an index list is chosen by a user, the corresponding Grantee index pages are displayed on the display device.  
         [0021]     In the preferred embodiment described above, the individual surname lists  14  preferably include selectable links including a surname. Each selectable link preferably corresponds to Grantee index pages. Every grantee listed on the index page preferably has the given surname. The individual mixed list  16  includes selectable links having an alphabetical range. Each selectable link preferably corresponds to grantee index pages, with every grantee listed on the index page preferably having a surname within the alphabetical range. The firm name list  18  includes selectable links including firm names. Each selectable link preferably corresponds to grantee index pages, with every grantee listed on the index page preferably having the firm name. The firm mixed list  20  includes selectable links including an alphabetical range. Each selectable link preferably corresponds to grantee index pages, with every grantee listed on the index page preferably having a firm name within the alphabetical range.  
         [0022]     In a preferred embodiment, the displayed Grantee index pages and Grantor index pages may be electronically scanned documents. An example of a scanned Grantor index page is shown in  FIG. 2 . The Grantee and Grantor index pages are preferably scanned from the Grantor/Grantee index books located at Register of Deeds offices for the particular county being searched. The scanned documents are preferably located in an electronic database and are accessible using the software of the present invention. However, in alternative embodiments, the Grantor and Grantee index pages may be computer generated indexes. In one example, the computer generated indexes may be produced from a database of deeds.  
         [0023]     As described above, once a user chooses a selectable link from an index list, a scanned grantor index or grantee index is displayed in a preferred embodiment of the invention. Preferably, as shown in  FIG. 2 , the indexes include a list of grantors and grantees corresponding to individual pieces of property. The indexes also include a record of the location in a deed book for each piece of property where the particular grant, or deed, of the property is recorded. Preferably, the location in the deed book is identified by a deed book number and page number.  
         [0024]     In a preferred embodiment, the deeds may be displayed on the display device by entering the deed book number and page number into the deed book input device  22  as shown in  FIG. 1 . After the deed location is input into the deed book input device  22 , the corresponding deed is then displayed on the display device. In alternate embodiments, the deeds may be displayed by the user by choosing a selectable link located on the index page. In another embodiment, the user may simply locate the actual deed book at the register of deeds for the searched county after finding the location using the present invention and find the particular deed desired.  
         [0025]     In a preferred embodiment, the deeds are electronically scanned documents. The deeds are preferably scanned from the deed books located at Register of Deeds offices for the particular county being searched. An example of a scanned deed is shown in  FIG. 3 . However, in alternative embodiments, the deeds may be computer generated informational pages produced from a database of deeds.  
         [0026]     In alternate embodiments of the present invention, only one index list is displayed when a selectable link  26  from the Grantor list  10  or Grantee list  12  is chosen. For example, the surname selectable links, firm name selectable links, and mixed selectable links may all be listed in a single list in any organizational manner, such as alphabetically. In other embodiments, the index lists may be organized in any manner and have any number of lists that assists a user in locating particular Grantor index page or Grantee index page. In a further alternate embodiment, there are no index lists and the selectable links  26  of the Grantor list  10  may each correspond to a particular Grantor index and the selectable links  26  of the Grantee list  12  may each correspond to a particular Grantee index. In this further alternate embodiment, the particular Grantor and Grantee indexes are displayed when the corresponding selectable link  26  is chosen by a user.  
         [0027]     In other alternate embodiments, the present invention may be used to obtain copies of other documents related to real estate parcels. For example, platt maps may be obtained for any real estate parcel or various documents related to the transfer of title of real estate parcels may be obtained.  
         [0028]     The foregoing description of preferred embodiments for this invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Obvious modifications or variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The embodiments are chosen and described in an effort to provide the best illustrations of the principles of the invention and its practical application, and to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as is suited to the particular use contemplated. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the invention as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly, legally, and equitably entitled.