All of the following are true regarding public records EXCEPT they

• A. Record liens
• B. Guarantee marketable title
• C. Show chain of title
• D. Provide notice of conveyances

Answer: (B)

Public records are the official record of documents that affect a property, creating constructive notice to the world. They are used to trace ownership (the chain of title), show encumbrances and liens, and provide notice of conveyances like transfers of ownership or claims against the property. This makes it possible for a buyer or lender to see what interests exist and how title has passed over time.

What public records do not do is guarantee that the title is marketable. Marketable title means the title can be transferred to a new owner free of defects that would invite a reasonable objection or litigation. Even though records show recorded liens and transfers, they don’t guarantee there aren’t other problems. Defects can arise from unrecorded interests, forgery, undisclosed heirs, faulty chain of title, unrecorded easements, or boundary disputes not shown in the public records. A title search looks at public records but must also consider these potential hidden issues; it can reveal defects, but the existence of records by itself does not assure marketability.