Defective Titles or Title Defects What is a Defective Title? The phrase to have “valid title” to property means that a person has the exclusive legal right to own and use a piece of property. For a title to be valid, that title must be free of defects. If a title is defective, a seller of the property may be required to “clear title,” or remedy title defects, before the seller completes the sale of their property to a buyer. What Kinds of Title Defects Exist? The following types of title defects exist: A superior claim to ownership by another person or entity: A creditor, which is someone to whom an owner owes a money judgment, may have a superior claim to someone seeking to purchase a piece of property. A creditor protects their interest in the property by filing what is known as a lien in the county land recording office. A would-be seller of the property must pay off, or satisfy, this lien before the buyer can purchase the property. A mistake in the description o...