How do I make sure my title is clean before closing?

A clean title comes from a title search that your closing attorney or a title company runs before closing, checking county records for liens, unresolved estate issues, or boundary disputes tied to the property. Ordering that search as early as possible in the transaction, rather than right before closing, gives more time to resolve anything it finds. Buying an owner's title insurance policy at closing also protects you against an issue that surfaces after the sale that the search missed.