What is an O&E (Ownership & Encumbrance) report?
A plain-English guide to current owner reports, what they show, and when you need something more.
An Ownership & Encumbrance report — usually called an O&E report or current owner report — is a summary of the public record for a piece of real estate. It answers three questions: who owns the property, what is recorded against it, and whether the property taxes are paid.
What an O&E report shows
- Vesting: the current owner exactly as named on the recorded deed.
- The vesting deed: deed type, grantor, grantee, recording date and instrument number.
- Encumbrances: open mortgages or deeds of trust, liens and judgments of record.
- Taxes: current tax amount, status and any delinquency.
- Legal description: the formal description of the land and its parcel number.
What it is not
An O&E report is not title insurance and not a title commitment. A title commitment is issued by a title insurer before a closing and leads to a policy that financially protects the buyer or lender. An O&E report carries no insurance and is not a full examination of every document in the chain of title.
When to use one
- Before making an offer on a property, especially off-market or investor deals.
- Before bidding at a tax-lien or tax-deed sale.
- To pre-screen a property before paying for a full title commitment.
- To find out how an inherited or family property is titled.
When you need more
If you are closing a purchase, sale or loan, get a title commitment and title insurance policy from a licensed title agency, or have a real estate attorney examine title.