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From appraisal-valuation
Parses Ontario Land Titles reports, classifies encumbrances (easements, covenants, liens), detects registration defects, and quantifies marketability discounts during acquisition due diligence.
npx claudepluginhub reggiechan74/vp-real-estate --plugin appraisal-valuationHow this skill is triggered — by the user, by Claude, or both
Slash command
/appraisal-valuation:title-expertThe summary Claude sees in its skill listing — used to decide when to auto-load this skill
A title search is a systematic review of registered property interests that establishes:
CALCULATOR_SUMMARY.mdIMPLEMENTATION_COMPLETE.mdREADME.mdencumbrance-catalog.mdencumbrance_discount_calculator/ARCHITECTURE.mdencumbrance_discount_calculator/DIAGRAM.mdencumbrance_discount_calculator/QUICKSTART.mdencumbrance_discount_calculator/README.mdencumbrance_discount_calculator/Reports/2025-11-16_200157_encumbrance_discount_55555_1111.mdencumbrance_discount_calculator/Reports/2025-11-16_200203_encumbrance_discount_12345_6789.mdencumbrance_discount_calculator/Reports/2025-11-16_200232_encumbrance_discount_12345_6789.mdencumbrance_discount_calculator/Reports/2025-11-16_200236_encumbrance_discount_12345_6789.mdencumbrance_discount_calculator/Reports/2025-11-16_200620_encumbrance_discount_55555_1111.mdencumbrance_discount_calculator/Reports/2025-11-16_200621_encumbrance_discount_98765_4321.mdencumbrance_discount_calculator/Reports/2025-11-16_200622_encumbrance_discount_12345_6789.mdencumbrance_discount_calculator/SUMMARY.mdencumbrance_discount_calculator/encumbrance_discount_calculator.pyencumbrance_discount_calculator/modules/__init__.pyencumbrance_discount_calculator/modules/cumulative_impact.pyencumbrance_discount_calculator/modules/marketability.pyAnalyzes ALTA title commitments, surveys, and Schedule B exceptions for CRE acquisitions. Identifies title defects, chain breaks, lien conflicts, and cure requirements.
Coordinates utility transmission corridor planning with conflict detection, relocation design, cost estimation, schedule risk, and generates CUSPAP-style location overview narratives for appraisal reports.
Interprets Ontario Expropriations Act provisions (s.13-18 compensation, s.5-12 procedure, s.23-30 hearings) and applies case law (Antrim, Highway Properties). Use for statutory interpretation questions, not negotiation or valuation.
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A title search is a systematic review of registered property interests that establishes:
This skill focuses on the Ontario Land Titles System (LTS) — state-guaranteed title searched via Land Titles Act registers — which is the most common system for commercial acquisitions in Ontario. Quebec uses a civil-law registry with different methodology; other provinces use a mix of LTS, Torrens, and traditional registry.
From the title search itself:
Related documents pulled in support: easement schedules, mortgage documents, restrictive covenant agreements, environmental liens (contaminated-site remediation).
The five-step framework below ties together parsing, defect detection, valuation impact, and remedial action. Each step links to a deeper reference file where applicable.
Identify every registered interest and classify it by type: easement, restrictive covenant, lien/mortgage, environmental charge, or notice/caveat. Capture parties, dates, scope (area affected), duration, priority/rank, and operational restrictions.
See Encumbrance Catalog for full parsing templates and sample registrations covering easements (appurtenant vs. in gross, perpetual vs. term), restrictive covenants (use, building/density, maintenance, special-use), mortgages and judgment/tax/municipal liens, and environmental liens registered under the Environmental Protection Act.
Each encumbrance falls into one of three impact categories:
Look for procedural errors that could undermine validity or enforceability:
See LTS Procedural Reference for the full defect catalog, the four-step defect assessment process (red flags → cross-reference → risk → remedial priority), and the title-cure playbook (discharge mortgages, modify covenants via Superior Court application, negotiate easement release, environmental remediation plans, priority certificates, subordination agreements).
For each encumbrance:
When multiple encumbrances apply, discounts compound rather than sum:
Discounted Value = Original Value × (1 − D₁) × (1 − D₂) × (1 − D₃) ...
Four methodologies are available — Percentage of Fee, Income Capitalization, Market Extraction (Paired Sales), and Cumulative Discount Analysis. See Marketability and Encumbrance Discount Reference for detailed worked examples of each methodology, plus buyer-pool, liquidity, and financing-impact analyses.
Score the property using the rubric below, classify each encumbrance/defect by severity, and recommend remedial actions (discharge, court application, title insurance, environmental remediation, subordination agreement).
Indicative discount ranges by encumbrance type (see marketability-defects.md for full derivations):
| Encumbrance Type | Typical Discount Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Utility transmission easement (69kV) | 5-8% | Smaller corridor |
| Utility transmission easement (230kV) | 10-15% | Larger corridor, higher voltage |
| Low-pressure gas pipeline | 10-12% | |
| High-pressure pipeline | 15-20% | |
| Access/drainage easement | 2-8% | Depends on access frequency |
| Restrictive covenant (minor) | 0-3% | Already-restricted-by-zoning use |
| Restrictive covenant (moderate) | 10-20% | E.g., "residential only" in mixed-use zone |
| Restrictive covenant (severe) | 25-40% | E.g., conservation easement — no development |
| Environmental contamination (minor) | 15-25% | Limited scope |
| Environmental contamination (moderate) | 25-40% | 20,000-50,000 tonnes affected |
| Environmental contamination (severe) | 40-60% | 100,000+ tonnes, high remediation cost |
A 100-hectare Class 1 farm is valued unencumbered at $1,000,000 ($10,000/ha). A 230kV transmission easement crosses the property: 10 towers × ~0.04 ha + 1 km access road (~0.6 ha) = ~1.0 ha permanently removed from production.
Direct land loss only: 99 ha × $10,000/ha = $990,000, a $10,000 (1%) reduction.
But operational impacts — field division, blocked center-pivot irrigation, twice-yearly utility access, no building/tree planting in the 60m corridor — compound the loss. Market-extracted paired sales for similar 230kV easements support a 12-14% discount in practice. Applying 12%: encumbered value = $1,000,000 × (1 − 0.12) = $880,000.
If a second encumbrance applies — e.g., a 3% stormwater drainage easement — the cumulative discount is $1,000,000 × 0.88 × 0.97 = $853,600 (14.6%), slightly less than the 15% sum of individual discounts because the discounts compound.
See marketability-defects.md for the full multi-encumbrance commercial example with mortgage payoff and net-equity calculation.
Assessed across 4 dimensions; score derived from weighted combination.
| Score Range | Rating | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 90-100 | EXCELLENT | No material encumbrances; clear title; broad buyer pool; financing readily available |
| 75-89 | GOOD | Minor encumbrances only; easily discharged or insured; no restriction on primary use |
| 60-74 | FAIR | Moderate encumbrances; restricted buyer pool; some financing complexity |
| 40-59 | POOR | Significant encumbrances; development potential impaired; specialized buyer required |
| 0-39 | UNMARKETABLE | Severe encumbrances (environmental lien, unresolvable defect); transaction not feasible without remediation |
Scoring dimensions:
Each encumbrance or defect is classified by severity before scoring:
| Severity | Definition | Examples | Recommended Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| CRITICAL | Immediately prevents closing or renders title unmarketable | Missing discharge for paid mortgage; active environmental enforcement order; unresolved priority dispute | Must resolve before closing |
| HIGH | Significantly impairs use, value, or financing; requires action before or at closing | Environmental contamination lien; covenant blocking proposed development use; unregistered easement in operation | Should resolve before closing; obtain title insurance minimum |
| MEDIUM | Moderate impact on use or buyer pool; addressable with legal opinion or insurance | Stale restrictive covenant (enforceability uncertain); minor easement reducing development area by 5-10% | Address before closing or obtain covenant insurance |
| LOW | Minimal impact; unlikely to affect transaction or financing | Infrequent access easement; clerical/typographical registration error with clear intent | Monitor; obtain title insurance if lender requires |
${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/title-expert/title_analyzer.py — Title search analysis: parses 14+ registered instrument types, detects registration defects, and generates encumbrance summary tables.${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/title-expert/encumbrance_discount_calculator.py — Quantifies percentage discount ranges for encumbrances; produces before/after value analysis./title-analysis path/to/title_search.json
/title-analysis path/to/title_search.json --output $CLAUDE_PROJECT_DIR/Reports/2025-11-17_title_analysis.md
Report Naming: $CLAUDE_PROJECT_DIR/Reports/YYYY-MM-DD_HHMMSS_title_analysis_{pin}.md
title_input_schema.json){
"property_identifier": "PIN 12345-6789",
"property_address": "100 Industrial Road, Toronto, ON",
"registered_instruments": [
{
"instrument_number": "AB123456",
"instrument_type": "Easement",
"parties": {
"grantor": "John Smith",
"grantee": "Hydro One Networks Inc."
},
"description": "Hydro transmission easement 20m wide",
"registration_date": "1985-03-15",
"area_affected": "2.5 acres"
},
{
"instrument_number": "CD789012",
"instrument_type": "Covenant",
"parties": {
"grantor": "Original Developer",
"grantee": "Municipality"
},
"description": "Restriction to industrial use only",
"registration_date": "1975-06-20"
}
],
"restrictions": [
{
"type": "Zoning",
"description": "M2 - General Industrial",
"impact": "Restricts to industrial uses"
}
],
"encumbrances": [],
"defects": []
}