Fake titles look convincing. Duplicate titles look identical. The only version that matters is the one on file at the Registry of Deeds.
Match every field, not just the name
Compare the Certified True Copy against the owner's duplicate. The serial number, technical description, and the annotations at the back must match exactly.
Check the tax declaration at the Assessor's office and the realty tax receipts at the Treasurer's office. A seller who cannot produce them is a seller worth walking away from.
Have a lawyer read the back page. Mortgages, adverse claims, and notices of lis pendens all live there — and all of them survive the sale.
