Title Guaranty offers two endorsements which add extended coverage to the basic lender's certificate: the Comprehensive 1 - Improved Land Endorsement ("Comp 1") and the Comprehensive 2 - Lender's Restrictions, Encroachments, Minerals Endorsement ("Comp 2"). We are often asked, "What is the difference?" or "Which one should I use?"
 

Both endorsements guarantee against a broad range of possible defects, but there are some restrictions against their use. When comprehensive coverage is requested by the lender, Title Guaranty recommends that you issue the Comp 1 Endorsement whenever possible. The Comp 2 Endorsement may be issued upon specific request by the lender, or if the lender requests the ALTA 9 Endorsement.
 

The chart below outlines some of the basic differences between the two endorsements:

We provide experienced closing assistance and outstanding customer service. Here are several reasons to place Title Guaranty Commercial Services at the top of your list:

1. Fast turnaround, competitive pricing.
    Commercial Commitments are generally issued within twenty-four hours to speed the closing of your transaction. Commercial closings follow your timetable, and our staff takes great pride in answering questions and responding to inquiries promptly and efficiently.
    
2. We understand Iowa Law.
    Title Guaranty works with you to ensure accuracy between our coverage and your closing documents, with the protection of the consumer in mind. Finally, Title Guaranty attorneys and closers have a firm grasp of Iowa law to ensure the success and ease of your transaction.
    
3. We offer full-service, one-stop shopping.
    We can manage the entire transaction, from Commitment stage to delivering the Certificate. Our services are customized to each transaction. Our underwriting attorneys work collaboratively with you to prevent delays and resolve any issues that may arise before and after closing. We also offer full-service construction loan disbursement and escrow services after closing.
    
4. No transaction is too big or too small.
    We handle a wide variety of transactions, encompassing everything from owner-to-owner transfers of bare agricultural land to multi-family housing units with multiple lenders. Our underwriting attorneys have experience, and are willing to bring their expertise to complex projects. No matter the size or complexity of your transaction, Title Guaranty can offer coverage and closing services at competitive rates.
    
5. Being a customer benefits Iowa and Iowans.
    Title Guaranty profits are reinvested right here in Iowa, providing economic stimulus by assisting first-time homeowners.

The MNLR became active on January 1, 2013, on the Secretary of State's web site.  In the first two months of operation, 399 documents have been posted in 67 counties. Mechanics' liens have been posted in 45 counties.

On January 25, Title Guaranty posted a "Statement on the Use of the Mechanics' Notice and Lien Registry" on the web site. Abstractors, attorneys and closing agents are expected to follow procedures used prior to January 1 to assure that the mortgage is a valid first lien on the real estate. This requires:

1. Checking the MNLR for notices and liens;
    
2. Asking the owner/seller if any labor, materials or equipment has been furnished in the last 90 days, before the date of closing; and
    
3. Obtaining lien waivers from all parties that have either posted a notice, lien or furnished labor, materials or equipment on the property in the past 90 days.

To search the MNLR, you do not need to register as an MNLR user. You can simply follow the instructions below to search the registry for possible notices or liens.

• Visit the Secretary of State's web site and select "Search".
   
• You may search by MNLR number, legal description, tax parcel identification number, property address, property owner, general contractor or date/county/type of posting.
   
• If you search by Legal Desctiption, there are two match types: near or exact. For both searches, certain words are equivalent to standard abbreviations, for example "SW" is read as "Southwest" and vice versa. The search function also ignores punctuation and words like "a", "at", "from", "for", etc.
   
• For an exact search, all of the words entered must be entered exactly as the MNLR user entered them (spelled the same, in the same order and with all of the same words).
   
• For the near search, the search will return all postings with legal descriptions that equal ALL of the words that the searcher enters. For this legal description, "Fleming and Davis Addition of all Lots 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 of Blk 36, City of Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie County, Iowa", this property would be in the search results for any of the following:

1. Fleming;
2. Pottawattamie County, Iowa;
3. Davis Fleming Lots Block;
4. Lots 7, 8, 9, 10;
5. Block 36.

However, these search phrases would not return this legal description because including a word in your search criteria that is NOT in the legal description would suppress results. Here are some examples of words and phrases that would not successfully return a result because of misspelling, incorrect word pairing or overt error:

1. Fleming Des Moines;
2. David Council Bluffs;
3. Potawatamie County;
4. Block 37.

• You may also search by Date, County and Type of Posting. This search result is especially attractive because the search results include the date range for the date range by which the search is occuring. For example, if you select the Begin Date Time as Day One, the date and time shown is 1/1/2013 at 12:00 a.m., and if you select the End Date Time as Now, the date and time shown is the month, date, year, hour, minute and second of the search. When selecting type of posting, you may limit your search to only the Commencements of Work, Preliminary Notices, Mechanic's Liens or Other (such as demands, bond postings, lien waivers, etc.)