Connecticut Real Estate Closing Attorney & Title Services
Connecticut law requires a licensed attorney to conduct real estate closings and issue title insurance. Simple Title's closing attorneys serve West Hartford, Hartford County, and clients throughout Connecticut — providing the legal oversight and closing coordination every transaction requires.
Get in Touch Our ServicesConnecticut Is an Attorney Title Company State
Connecticut is unique among real estate markets — it is both an attorney-closing state and an attorney title company state. Under Connecticut law, real estate closings and the issuance of title insurance are considered the practice of law. This means only a licensed Connecticut attorney can conduct a closing, perform a title search, or issue a title insurance policy on a Connecticut property.
Simple Title's Connecticut closing practice is staffed by attorneys admitted to practice in Connecticut. From our West Hartford office, we provide title examination, title insurance, escrow management, and full closing coordination for residential and commercial transactions throughout Hartford County and statewide — operating squarely within Connecticut's attorney-led closing framework.
Important distinction: In Connecticut, the buyer's attorney and the seller's attorney are separate — state law and ethical rules prohibit a single attorney from representing both parties. The buyer's attorney performs the title search and issues the insurance; the seller's attorney drafts the deed and manages payoff coordination. Simple Title represents buyers, lenders, and developers across Connecticut transactions.
Complete Attorney-Led Title & Closing Services for Connecticut Transactions
From the first title search at the local Town Clerk's land records office to the final recording after closing, our Connecticut attorneys manage every legal and procedural step of the transaction. We examine title, coordinate with lenders, prepare all closing documents in compliance with Connecticut law, and oversee the signing and disbursement of funds.
In Connecticut, land records are maintained at the municipal level — each town's Town Clerk serves as the recording authority for properties within that municipality. Our attorneys are familiar with the land record procedures across Hartford County and throughout Connecticut, ensuring every closing is completed accurately and recorded without delay. For an overview of our West Hartford practice specifically, visit our West Hartford closing attorney page.
Contact Our TeamConnecticut Title & Closing Services
Title Search & Examination
A thorough search of municipal land records at the appropriate Connecticut Town Clerk's office — verifying the property's chain of ownership and identifying any liens, judgments, easements, or encumbrances before closing proceeds.
Title Insurance
We issue owner's and lender's title insurance policies through Connecticut's established attorney-agent framework — protecting buyers and lenders from future claims arising from title defects not apparent at the time of closing.
Real Estate Closing & Settlement
Full attorney-led closing coordination — preparing the deed, settlement statement, and all required closing documents, overseeing the signing, disbursing funds through our IOLTA trust account, and recording with the Town Clerk.
Escrow & Trust Account Management
All earnest money, loan proceeds, and closing funds are held in a strictly regulated IOLTA trust account — disbursed at closing by wire transfer or bank check to the correct parties in accordance with closing instructions.
Deed Preparation & Municipal Recording
Preparation of the warranty deed, quitclaim deed, or other conveyance instrument required for the transaction — recorded with the appropriate Connecticut Town Clerk after closing to complete the transfer of title.
Refinance Closing Services
Attorney-led refinance closings for Connecticut homeowners — title update, lender coordination, closing disclosure preparation, fund disbursement, and recording of the new mortgage with the appropriate municipal land records office.
How Connecticut Real Estate Closings Work
Connecticut closings follow a distinct attorney-led process. Here is what each party's attorney handles.
Buyer's Attorney Role
The buyer's closing attorney reviews the purchase contract, conducts an in-depth title search at the local Town Clerk's land records office, coordinates with the mortgage lender, prepares closing figures and the settlement statement, oversees the signing appointment, and issues the title insurance policy. In Connecticut, the buyer's attorney serves as both the closing agent and the title insurance agent.
Seller's Attorney Role
The seller's attorney drafts the deed of conveyance, coordinates the payoff of the seller's existing mortgage, manages the Connecticut conveyance tax filings required at closing, and ensures the seller receives their net proceeds. Connecticut ethical rules prohibit a single attorney from representing both buyer and seller in the same transaction.
Escrow & Fund Handling
Unlike states with independent escrow companies, Connecticut closing attorneys hold all transaction funds — including earnest money deposits, loan proceeds, and closing balances — in IOLTA trust accounts. Funds are disbursed by wire transfer or bank check at closing to pay off the seller's mortgage, distribute proceeds, and cover all closing costs.
Municipal Recording
After the closing documents are signed, the buyer's attorney records the deed and mortgage with the Town Clerk of the municipality where the property is located. Connecticut does not use a county recording system — each of Connecticut's 169 towns maintains its own land records. Timely recording is essential to protect the buyer's ownership and the lender's lien position.
Serving Connecticut Buyers, Sellers & Real Estate Professionals
Simple Title's Connecticut closing practice operates from our West Hartford office — centrally located within Hartford County and well-positioned to serve transactions across the Greater Hartford area and throughout the state. Our attorneys handle closings in West Hartford, Hartford, Glastonbury, Simsbury, Avon, Farmington, Newington, Wethersfield, and the surrounding communities.
Connecticut's real estate market spans a wide range of property types and transaction structures — from first-time residential purchases in Hartford County to waterfront properties in New Haven County and commercial transactions in Fairfield County. Our attorneys are experienced with Connecticut's municipal land record system, conveyance tax requirements, and the specific closing standards that lenders expect in this market.
For clients with transactions spanning New England, Simple Title also serves Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, and Florida.
Connecticut Communities We Serve
Our West Hartford office serves buyers, sellers, lenders, and agents throughout Hartford County and statewide Connecticut.
Who We Help in Connecticut
Buyers & Sellers
Licensed attorney representation and clear closing support for residential and commercial Connecticut transactions — from contract review through recording.
Learn more →Real Estate Agents
A responsive attorney-led closing team that keeps your Connecticut transactions on schedule and your clients informed from contract through Town Clerk recording.
Learn more →Lenders
Compliant Connecticut title work, accurate settlement statements, and dependable IOLTA escrow and funding coordination for residential and commercial loan transactions.
Learn more →Developers
Experienced attorney-led title and escrow support for new construction, subdivision, and commercial development closings throughout Connecticut.
Learn more →Visit Our West Hartford, CT Office
Simple Title — West Hartford, CT
Serving
Hartford County and statewide Connecticut
Related services
West Hartford Closing Attorney
West Hartford Office Details
Refinance Closing Services
Also serving
Massachusetts ·
Maine ·
New Hampshire ·
Florida
Trusted by Industry & Professional Associations
Trusted Across All of Our Offices
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Connecticut require an attorney for a real estate closing?
Yes. Connecticut is both an attorney-closing state and an attorney title company state — meaning real estate closings and the issuance of title insurance must be performed by a licensed Connecticut attorney. State law requires that separate attorneys represent the buyer and the seller to avoid conflicts of interest. If you are financing the purchase, your lender will also require attorney-led title work as a condition of the loan.
Who pays for title insurance in Connecticut?
In Connecticut, the buyer typically pays for both the lender's title insurance policy — required by the mortgage lender to protect their financial interest — and the owner's title insurance policy at closing. Title insurance in Connecticut is a one-time premium, generally ranging from 0.4% to 1% of the property value. These allocations can be negotiated in the purchase and sale contract, so it is worth reviewing your specific agreement terms.
How does escrow work in Connecticut real estate transactions?
In Connecticut, escrow functions are managed through the closing attorney's IOLTA (Interest on Lawyers' Trust Accounts) trust account rather than through a separate escrow company. The buyer's closing attorney holds all earnest money deposits, loan proceeds, and closing balances in a strictly regulated trust environment. At closing, funds are disbursed by wire transfer or bank check to pay off the seller's existing mortgage, distribute the seller's net proceeds, and cover all closing costs — all in strict accordance with closing instructions.
Where are deeds recorded in Connecticut?
In Connecticut, real estate documents are recorded at the municipal level — each town's Town Clerk maintains the land records for properties within that municipality. Unlike most other states, Connecticut does not use a county recording system. For example, West Hartford transactions are recorded with the West Hartford Town Clerk, Hartford transactions with the Hartford Town Clerk, and so on across all 169 Connecticut towns. Our attorneys coordinate all recordings directly with the appropriate Town Clerk's office after closing.
Can an out-of-state title company close a transaction in Connecticut?
No. Connecticut law requires that title insurance be issued and real estate closings be conducted by an attorney licensed to practice law in Connecticut. An out-of-state title company without Connecticut-licensed attorneys cannot legally perform closings or issue title insurance in the state. Simple Title's Connecticut closing practice is staffed by attorneys admitted to practice in Connecticut, ensuring every transaction is fully compliant with state law.
What is CATIC and how does it relate to Simple Title?
CATIC — the Connecticut Attorneys Title Insurance Company — is New England's largest domestic title insurance underwriter and operates exclusively through a network of member attorneys in Connecticut. As an attorney-led closing practice, Simple Title works within Connecticut's established attorney-agent framework to issue title insurance policies for every Connecticut transaction we handle. Our attorneys are qualified to issue policies through approved underwriters serving the Connecticut market.
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