Skip to content
Pass Georgia

Georgia curriculum lesson 164 · Finance and Closing

Title Searches, Title Insurance, and Marketable Title in Georgia

A Georgia title examination traces the public record for ownership, liens, easements, judgments, taxes, probate issues, and other exceptions. Marketable title is title a reasonable purchaser can accept without serious doubt or litigation risk. A lender's title policy protects the lender's insured interest; an owner's policy protects the owner subject to its terms and exceptions. Insurance does not cure the title defect or replace the attorney's examination.

Facts checked against the current PSI Candidate Information Bulletin and GREC sources. Last reviewed August 2, 2026. Editorial standards.

What is the exam-ready answer?

A Georgia title examination traces the public record for ownership, liens, easements, judgments, taxes, probate issues, and other exceptions. Marketable title is title a reasonable purchaser can accept without serious doubt or litigation risk. A lender's title policy protects the lender's insured interest; an owner's policy protects the owner subject to its terms and exceptions. Insurance does not cure the title defect or replace the attorney's examination.
Official syllabus mapping for Title Searches, Title Insurance, and Marketable Title in Georgia
Roadmap lesson164 of 500
Official syllabus topicFinance and Closing: Closing Procedures
Official PSI groupFinance and Closing
Published group count15 of the 52 Georgia questions
Exam portionGeorgia salesperson supplement
Source editionPSI Georgia Candidate Information Bulletin dated July 1, 2026
Law checked throughAugust 2, 2026
Last verifiedAugust 2, 2026

The Rule

PSI publishes 16, 21, and 15 items for the three Georgia groups. It does not publish a guaranteed subtopic count. The statute, current GREC rule, contract, or other cited primary authority controls each lesson.

Complete lesson

Read these concepts as one Georgia decision system. A plausible national rule can still be the wrong answer when the stem supplies a Georgia statute, instrument, role, or procedure.

Title examination

The closing lawyer examines the chain and relevant records, identifies exceptions, and determines what releases, affidavits, probate steps, or other cures are needed.

Marketable title

A contract may require title free from reasonable doubt and unacceptable encumbrances, not absolute proof that no conceivable claim exists.

Lender policy

The lender's policy insures the lender's security interest up to policy terms. It does not protect the buyer's equity merely because the buyer paid a premium at closing.

Owner policy

The owner's policy covers the owner's insured interest against covered pre-policy defects, subject to exclusions, exceptions, conditions, and policy amount.

Decision rule

Do not ask only whether insurance exists. Ask whose interest is insured, against which defect, from what date, and with what exception.

Georgia rule and national contrast

The Georgia attorney's title and closing role is central. National title-insurance concepts still apply, but a nonlawyer title-company model is not the Georgia closing answer.

Worked Georgia example

Scenario. A buyer assumes the lender's title policy also protects the buyer from an undisclosed pre-closing lien.

Reason it through. The lender policy protects the lender's insured mortgage interest. The buyer needs an owner's policy for the owner's separate insured interest, subject to its terms.

Answer. The lender's policy alone does not provide the buyer with owner coverage.

Common exam traps

  • Treating insurance as a cure
  • Confusing lender and owner policies
  • Promising absolute title
  • Ignoring policy exceptions

Original practice questions with detailed explanations

These are original instructional questions mapped to the July 1, 2026 PSI outline. They are not copied from PSI or a live examination. Choose an answer before opening the explanation.

Question 1

Which statement best states the Georgia rule for Title Searches, Title Insurance, and Marketable Title in Georgia?

  1. A. Identify the defect, whether it appears in the search, the policy insured, coverage date and exceptions, and the cure required before closing.
  2. B. A lender's title policy automatically protects the buyer's equity.
  3. C. Title insurance removes every recorded lien from the record.
  4. D. Marketable title means no imaginable claim can ever be asserted.
Show answer and explanation →

Answer: A. Identify the defect, whether it appears in the search, the policy insured, coverage date and exceptions, and the cure required before closing.

The correct choice states the controlling rule. The other choices either remove a required element, replace Georgia authority with a generic assumption, or expand an exception beyond the cited source.

Question 2

A buyer assumes the lender's title policy also protects the buyer from an undisclosed pre-closing lien.

  1. A. Ignore the Georgia-specific fact because good intentions control.
  2. B. The lender's policy alone does not provide the buyer with owner coverage.
  3. C. Apply the nearest national rule without checking Georgia authority.
  4. D. Let the participant with the strongest preference decide without following the required process.
Show answer and explanation →

Answer: B. The lender's policy alone does not provide the buyer with owner coverage.

The lender policy protects the lender's insured mortgage interest. The buyer needs an owner's policy for the owner's separate insured interest, subject to its terms. The correct option follows that reasoning. The distractors ignore the controlling Georgia source, substitute intent for procedure, or give decision-making authority to the wrong person.

Question 3

When solving Title Searches, Title Insurance, and Marketable Title in Georgia, what should a candidate identify first?

  1. A. The answer choice that sounds most ethical, without classifying the actor or document.
  2. B. One familiar deadline, applied to every Georgia transaction regardless of the source.
  3. C. Do not ask only whether insurance exists. Ask whose interest is insured, against which defect, from what date, and with what exception.
  4. D. A national default, even when the stem identifies a Georgia statute or GREC rule.
Show answer and explanation →

Answer: C. Do not ask only whether insurance exists. Ask whose interest is insured, against which defect, from what date, and with what exception.

The decision rule identifies the facts that control this topic. The other choices reward tone, a memorized number, or a national default while skipping the Georgia actor, document, authority, or procedure.

Mastery tracking

Mark this Georgia lesson mastered only when every statement is true.

  • State the direct answer and decision rule without notes.
  • Explain all four concepts and identify the controlling Georgia source.
  • Solve the worked example after changing one important fact.
  • Reject every listed trap and explain what makes it tempting.
  • Answer all three original questions correctly and explain every distractor.
  • Repeat this topic in mixed Georgia practice on a later day.

Recommended next lesson

Continue with Promissory Note, Security Deed, Satisfaction, and Cancellation. Continue through the roadmap from lesson 164.

Return to the Finance and Closing hub for the complete official branch and every canonical lesson in this Georgia group.

Title Searches, Title Insurance, and Marketable Title in Georgia questions

Facts checked against the current PSI Candidate Information Bulletin and GREC sources. Last reviewed August 2, 2026. Editorial standards.

Is Title Searches, Title Insurance, and Marketable Title in Georgia on the Georgia real estate exam?

Yes. It maps to PSI's Finance and Closing group, which has 15 of the 52 Georgia questions. PSI does not publish a guaranteed question count for this individual lesson.

What is the main Georgia rule for Title Searches, Title Insurance, and Marketable Title in Georgia?

Do not ask only whether insurance exists. Ask whose interest is insured, against which defect, from what date, and with what exception.

How is this different from a national real estate rule?

The Georgia attorney's title and closing role is central. National title-insurance concepts still apply, but a nonlawyer title-company model is not the Georgia closing answer.

How do I know I have mastered this Georgia lesson?

State the rule and source without notes, solve the scenario after changing a controlling fact, explain every distractor, and maintain accuracy when this topic is mixed with the other Georgia supplement groups.