Before Gateway can complete a mineral rights purchase, we need to confirm that the seller owns the interest being sold. That's what a mineral rights title search does: it follows the relevant property records to establish who owns the minerals or royalties and what share they own.
You may own the land on the surface and still own only part of the minerals beneath it, or none at all. An earlier owner might have reserved the minerals, sold a share separately, or left an interest to several heirs. A title search helps sort out those questions before the sale is completed.
Learn more: “How do you sell your mineral rights?”
What does the title team look at?
Our in-house title professionals review relevant public records, including deeds and other recorded documents in the property's chain of title. Depending on the property, they may need to trace transfers over many decades. They look for reservations, prior mineral conveyances, changes in ownership, and other records that affect the interest proposed for sale.
The goal is to answer practical questions: Does the seller own the mineral or royalty interest? How much? Is the interest described accurately in the deed? Are there issues that need to be resolved before payment?
Why can mineral ownership be different from land ownership?
Mineral rights can be conveyed separately from the surface. For example, a former owner might sell a farm but reserve the oil and gas rights. Later, those rights could be divided among several descendants. Looking only at today's surface deed may not tell the whole story.
A mineral title search follows the relevant chain of records so a buyer and seller know what can actually be transferred. If the research shows you own a smaller share than expected, Gateway will discuss how that affects the proposed transaction.
What documents should I gather?
You don't need all of these to begin a conversation. If you have them, they may help us identify the property and follow its history:
- A current or older deed showing the property description
- Any mineral deed or document reserving oil and gas rights
- An oil and gas lease or lease amendment
- Recent royalty statements or division orders
- Probate, estate, trust, or inheritance documents related to the interest
- The names of relatives or other co-owners who may share the interest
If all you know is the county and the name of the person who owned the property, tell us that. Our team can explain what else would be helpful. Having a royalty check doesn't, by itself, establish the full extent of an interest; the records still need to be reviewed.
Who pays for the title search?
When you work with Gateway on a potential mineral sale, our team conducts the title research needed for the transaction at no charge to you. You are not expected to hire someone to reconstruct the property's ownership history before contacting us.
If you need an independent title opinion for another purpose, that's a separate service to discuss with an attorney or qualified title professional.
How long does a title search take?
It depends on the records. A straightforward chain may be resolved in days. A parcel split and reassembled over time, a prior mineral reservation, or several generations of heirs can require more research and documentation. We'll tell you what we've found and what remains to be resolved as the transaction progresses.
Thinking about selling your Ohio mineral rights? Contact Gateway Royalty. We can discuss the interest, explain our evaluation process, and handle title research for a potential purchase.
