Homeowners in the Northeast, beware: Deed and title fraud may be a big issue in your neck of the woods.
The vast majority of experts in that region of the country — 92% — are aware of such illegal activity occurring in their markets during the past 12 months, according to the National Association of Realtors’ 2025 Deed and Title Fraud Survey.
The survey included responses from NAR government affairs directors, general counsels and association executives.
Title fraud — also known as deed theft — occurs when someone illegally transfers the title or deed of a property without the homeowner knowing about the transaction.
Crooks who engage in this behavior often use fake IDs and fabricated documents to transfer a property to themselves via the county recorder. They may then pretend to be the owner and sell the property.
Across the nation, 63% of survey respondents said they were aware of such fraud occurring in their housing markets over the past year. Here is a regional breakdown of how many survey respondents say such fraud appears to happen:
- Northeast: 92%
- South: 59%
- West: 59%
- Midwest: 53%
Title fraud is more likely in central cities (64%) and suburban areas (62%) than in small towns (40%), according to the NAR.
The vast majority of survey respondents — 62% — said the crimes they were aware of involved vacant land. In fact, just 12% of title fraud cases involved owner-occupied homes. Another 2% involved vacant residential rentals.
It’s important to note that the sample size was small, so the NAR considers these results to be “guiding points.” The NAR says that it received input from respondents in 43 states and territories, as well as Washington, D.C.
The good news is that, as a homeowner, you can take free, relatively simple steps to protect yourself from title fraud, including doing things such as:
- Regularly monitoring your credit report
- Tracking your mail with the U.S. Postal Service’s free Informed Delivery service
- Signing up for free notifications through your county recorder’s office if they offer them
For more, check out “8 Things You Should Know Before ‘Locking’ Your Home Title.”
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