Specifications include, but are not limited to: A. Tax Deed Preparation: Services include the preparation of deeds for properties sold by Spartanburg County at tax sale or by the Forfeited Land Commission; conveying the property to the tax sale purchasers. Spartanburg County will provide the Proposer the following information required for deed preparation: (1) A copy of the title notes or abstracts received by the County, containing at minimum, (a) the name(s) of the current owner(s), (b) a copy of the most recent deed or other instrument containing a legal description of the subject property, and (c) the tax parcel identification number; (2) The name and address of the tax sale purchaser; (3) The prevailing bid amount from the tax sale; (4) Copies of the relevant documents from the tax sale file; (5) A tax deed template provided in a format that can be opened in Microsoft Word. NOTE: Every effort will be made to provide the tax deed preparation work to the same attorney/firm who performed the title search. The Proposer will pick up assigned work from the Spartanburg County Tax Collector’s Office. The Proposer will prepare a South Carolina statutory form deed without warranty from the Spartanburg County Delinquent Tax Collector or Forfeited Land Commission, as Grantor, to the tax sale purchaser, as Grantee. The deeds shall contain the phrase “Deed Only, No Title Examination” at the top of the document. The Proposer will deliver the prepared deeds to the Spartanburg County Tax Collector’s Office in the manner, format and in the timeframe specified at the time of request for the deed. Proposer should compare legal description provided by titlework with legal description on the Spartanburg County Assessor’s web page. If Proposer notices a discrepancy, then contact the Spartanburg County Tax Collector’s Office for further instructions. The discrepancy must be resolved before completing the assignment. In the event of errors in the processed deed, the Proposer will be contacted by a representative of the Spartanburg County Tax Collector’s Office with needed corrections. The Proposer will be expected to make necessary corrections and send electronically to the Spartanburg County Tax Collector’s Office representative within two (2) business days the revised deed. By submitting a proposal, the Proposer agrees that should it be awarded a contract it will not challenge any tax sale of the County involving a deed prepared by the Proposer because of the potential conflict of interest. B. Title Searches: General Specifications: (1) All title reports shall conform to applicable industry norm and standards (2) All title reports shall be in writing and submitted to the requesting department contact in a timely manner, unless a specific date is provided by the department contact (3) Title reports must be a written document that contains at a minimum the following: (a) County Block Map Number (b) An Abstract of Conveyance which presents all instruments in the chain of title from most recent to beginning of period for the search, as well as notes or references to the instruments reviewed (c) A copy of all relevant documents in the Abstract of Conveyance (d) Information on all foreclosures, executions, federal and other lis pendens and copies of these documents (e) Information on all mortgages, liens, taxes, bankruptcies, tax sales, inheritances, and guardianships, as applicable (f) Any other applicable information (g) A summary page showing (for tax sale title searches the summary page will be provided by the Tax Collector’s Office), at a minimum, chain of title, transfer date, type of instrument, Grantor and Grantee, deed book and page, map number (Summary sheet should be placed as the first page of each title search) (h) For searches conducted for the purpose of a tax sale, the Proposer will pick up assigned work from the Spartanburg County Tax Collector’s Office. (4) All title notes shall be type written. Types of Searches: (1) Current Owner Search (primarily used for tax sales) Provide research to obtain current 100% fee simple ownership record of property to include: (a) Research Register of Deeds Office to insure current owner possesses a 100% fee simple interest in the subject property. Scope of this research could vary from a one year search to a 40 year search – depending on the type deed current owner holds. Proposer would complete all research necessary to determine 100% ownership of subject parcel. (b) Proposer to check adverse deeds to insure no portion of subject property has been previously sold, if so, provide copy of documentation as to what portion was sold. (c) Proposer to check probate records to insure no current owner has died, if so, establish and provide documentation as to heirs/devisees of estate, who would hold an interest in the property (d) Proposer to check for mortgages (which have not been canceled or satisfied) given by current owners covering subject property and provide copy of said mortgage (e) Proposer to check for lessees of record of the subject property and provide copy of any lessees (f) Proposer to check for Lis Pendens to insure subject property is not presently in foreclosure (g) Proposer to verify whether or not Assessor’s Office has the record owner listed as the property owner
