Frequently Asked Questions
When you purchase real estate in Dickinson County, Iowa, you can be assured that a written record of title transfers is available at Cornell Abstract Company for use in preparing the “history” of that property. That history is referred to as an abstract. We’ve been compiling such information since 1918. Our records are the most complete and accurate of any commercial service in the county. If you buy a home, a farm, or a tract of land in Dickinson County, Iowa, what you acquire is the seller’s rights and interests subject to any limitation that may affect your ownership. The key word is “limitations”. In virtually all land transfers, the seller’s title is affected by the rights and interest of others. Examples are the rights of a utility company to construct a power line or bury power limes across the property; rights of adjoining land owners to enforce covenants restricting use of real estate; liens against the property by federal, state or local government; rights of a relative of a previous owner, plus other circumstances. It is essential that you are aware, before purchase, of what rights the seller may convey. That’s why the abstract is important.
Cornell Abstract Company is a member of the Iowa Land Title Association and the American Land Title Association. We subscribe to a strict code of ethics and carry extensive liability insurance.
Cornell Abstract Company has a staff of skilled abstracters, plus the resources of more nearly a century of carefully compiled records. They are updated daily to provide a complete and accurate record of matters affecting titles throughout Dickinson County, Iowa.