Your title record lists everything registered against the property, in priority order. It is the document that decides whether there is equity here at all — and most homeowners have never seen theirs.
Why it matters more than people think
Homeowners generally know about the first mortgage. What surfaces on a title search is everything else: a second mortgage, a secured line of credit, a builders' lien, a writ registered by a creditor, a caveat.
Each of those gets paid from a sale before any surplus reaches you. Priority decides who is paid and in what order, so a plan built only around the first mortgage can be badly wrong.
How to get it
Alberta title searches run through the Land Titles system, and copies can be obtained through the province's online land registry services or through a lawyer, a realtor or a registry agent. There is normally a small fee. A lawyer or agent handling anything for you can usually pull it as a matter of routine — ask.
One current caveat: Land Titles counters have been closed to walk-ins since September 2025, with registrations reported taking around a hundred days. That affects registering documents more than searching, but it is worth knowing that the office is under strain.
What to look for
- Every registered charge, and the order they appear in.
- The registered owner — exactly as named. Errors here matter when it comes time to sell.
- Anything you do not recognise. It happens, and it is far better to find it now.
What to do with it
Set the total of what is registered against a current opinion of value. That comparison — not a guess about the market — tells you whether you are protecting equity or managing a shortfall. Those two situations lead to completely different plans, and starting the wrong one costs months.
Questions people ask
General information about the Alberta foreclosure process — not legal or financial advice, and nothing here guarantees an outcome. Every file is different.