All things considered, IMHO it''s of no interest to me in the least to try and even play in a gray area on this stuff. Life is complicated as it is without going out of the way. If the title ain't on the up and up from the start, I'd walk in the opposite direction and fast. If the owner can't prove up front the title is clear and I don't verify and buy a pig in a Polk, then shame on me.
Some years ago, when I was looking at buying my '46 project, the widow lady selling it didn't know her hubby had not cleared the title with the PO. She wanted to go the bonded route and that was a deal breaker, even though legal and above board Yada yada Yada. I insisted she had no deal unless the PO signed over the title to her and she in turn to me and ALL in front of a notary. It took several weeks, but worth it. The last thing I wanted was to spend 100's of hours and 1000's of $ only to have it all clouded in a potential "he said, she said" and some attorney collecting his next boat payment all because I was careless.
Last edited by 46Sparky; 03/02/2015 3:19 AM.
