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What Is the Land Title Office?

The Land Title Office of British Columbia (also known as the Land Title and Survey Authority of British Columbia [LTSA]) has four main purposes :

  1. Ensure integrity and manage the land title registration system and provide title interest information
  2. Maintain a high-quality land survey structure for British Columbia
  3. Manage and issue Crown grant documents to support government Crown land allocation
  4. Manage and administer the

Without the LTSA, there would be no central system for the management and record keeping of land titleswhich would make real estate deals much more complicated.

How Is It Used in Real Estate?

The Land Title Office term is typically discussed with all parties around the end of the deal, when it’s closed and title changes need to happen.

As a buyer, you’ll hear this term when the lawyers arrange to have the land title updated with your information and any related interestssuch as a mortgage or other charges.

As a seller, you’ll hear this term when you are removed from the land title of the property you’ve just sold.

Example

Cynthia and her partner have just closed on their new 2 bedroom condo in Richmond, BC.

Their lawyer calls them to let them know that the updated land title is being managed by the Land Title Office.

Cynthia and her partner can now celebrate that they are officially the owners of that property, as it’s now documented at the Land Title Office.