A preliminary title report is the closest thing to an honest biography of your property. It is also written in a format that makes people’s eyes glaze over, which is unfortunate, because most of what derails a Nevada closing is sitting somewhere in it. Here is how to read one.
What it is and what it is not
A preliminary report is an offer to issue title insurance on stated terms. It lists what the title company found in the public record and what it will not insure against unless those items are cleared. It is not a property inspection, not an appraisal, and not a guarantee that nothing else exists. It is a snapshot of the recorded record for one parcel.
Schedule A: the basics
The effective date. Everything in the report is true as of that moment. Anything recorded afterward is not in it, which is why a report from six months ago is a starting point rather than an answer.
The vesting. Who owns the property and how. This is where you find out that title reads as joint tenants, or community property with right of survivorship, or in the name of a trust, or still in the name of someone who died years ago. Vesting decides who has to sign.
The legal description. Lot and block for a subdivision, or a metes and bounds description for older or rural parcels. Read it. Discrepancies between the legal description and what you think you own are rare and expensive.
Schedule B: the part that matters
Schedule B lists exceptions, meaning everything the policy will not cover. This is the substance of the report, and it usually runs several pages. Common entries on a Nevada parcel include the following.
Property taxes
Current year taxes, and any delinquency. Delinquent taxes are paid from proceeds at closing.
Deeds of trust
Every recorded loan against the property, with dates and amounts. Look for loans you have already paid off. An unreleased deed of trust from a lender that no longer exists is one of the most common curative problems in Nevada, and one of the slowest to fix.
CC&Rs and association documents
The covenants that govern a community. Their presence on the report is not a problem. Their existence tells you an association is involved, which means resale documents and possibly a balance.
Easements
Utility, drainage, access, shared driveway. Almost every parcel has some. They matter for what can be built rather than for whether a sale can close.
Judgment and tax liens
Recorded judgments attach to real property you own in that county. Federal tax liens are their own category and can add steps. Both are paid from proceeds.
Financing statements on equipment
Usually solar. A leased or financed system typically has a filing recorded against the property, and it has to be assumed, subordinated, or paid off. Extremely common on Las Vegas valley homes.
Anything unresolved from a prior transaction
An old contract, a quitclaim deed to a buyer who never closed, a lis pendens nobody released. If a previous cash buyer had you sign something, this is where it shows up.
How to get one, and when
A title company orders it once escrow opens, but you do not have to wait for a transaction to find out what is on your title. You can search your own parcel at the county recorder for free and see the recorded documents yourself. In Clark County that is the county recorder, and Washoe County offers the same for northern Nevada.
Doing it before you talk to any buyer is worth the twenty minutes. It means nobody can describe your situation to you inaccurately, and it means a surprise in escrow is far less likely.
What actually delays closings
Not the number of exceptions. A report with twenty entries can close on schedule while one with three sits for two months. What matters is the type. Payoffs are handled at closing and add no time. Affidavits for name mismatches add days. Chasing a reconveyance from a lender that was acquired twice adds weeks. A quiet title action adds months. More detail on each is in selling a house with title problems in Nevada.
Common questions
Is a preliminary title report the same as title insurance?
No. It is an offer to insure on stated terms. The policy is issued at closing, and the exceptions listed in the report are what the policy will not cover unless they are cleared first.
What is Schedule B?
The list of exceptions: taxes, deeds of trust, CC&Rs, easements, liens, and anything else recorded that the policy will not insure against. It is the substantive part of the report.
Can I see what is on my title without ordering a report?
Yes. Search your parcel at the county recorder. It is free and it shows the same recorded documents the title company will find.
Does a long list of exceptions mean my sale is in trouble?
Not usually. Most exceptions are routine. The type of problem matters far more than the number of entries.
Want us to pull it for you?
Send us the address and we will pull the recorded history and tell you what is there, whether or not you sell to us. No fee for the research and no obligation attached to it. Request a cash offer here or call (702) 208-2434.
Written by Kyle Newman. Last updated August 14, 2026. Sell My House NV is a tradename of United Homes of America LLC. We are a direct home buyer, not a law firm and not a title company, and nothing here is legal advice. Title questions turn on the documents recorded against a specific parcel, so have yours reviewed by a title company or an attorney.
Our Priority Markets
We buy anywhere in Nevada. These are the communities we work in most often.