Short answer: A Texas title commitment is the title insurer's conditional promise to issue a title policy after listed requirements are satisfied. It is not the final policy and it does not guarantee that every ownership problem is covered. El Paso and Horizon City buyers should review Schedules A, B, C and D as soon as the commitment arrives because the purchase contract can impose a short deadline for written title objections.
Published by Casa By Owner on November 5, 2026, for home buyers and sellers in El Paso, Horizon City and nearby communities.
What is a title commitment in a Texas home purchase?
A title commitment comes before closing. It states the conditions under which a title company is willing to issue an owner's policy, a loan policy or both. The final title policy is issued after closing and provides the actual coverage, subject to its exclusions, exceptions and conditions.
The Texas Department of Insurance title insurance FAQ explains that a commitment alerts a buyer to potential title issues, exclusions and exceptions. It does not promise that no title problem exists or that no future claim will arise.
The current TREC One to Four Family Residential Contract (Resale), Form 20-19, became effective July 1, 2026. Its Paragraph 6 governs the title policy, commitment, survey and objection process for transactions using that form.
What do Schedules A, B, C and D mean?
Schedule A: Who, what property and how much coverage?
Schedule A identifies the proposed insured, the type and amount of policy to be issued, the legal description and the person or entity shown as holding title. Buyers should compare the legal description with the contract and survey. A missing lot, incorrect block, misspelled name or wrong policy amount should be questioned promptly.
Schedule B: What will the policy not cover?
Schedule B lists exceptions from coverage. These may include recorded easements, restrictive covenants, mineral reservations, taxes, survey matters and other property-specific items. An exception does not always mean the transaction cannot close. It means the policy generally will not insure against loss caused by that listed matter.
Read the referenced documents, not only the one-line summary. A utility easement, access agreement or deed restriction can affect where a buyer may build, park, fence or add improvements.
Schedule C: What must be completed before the policy is issued?
Schedule C contains requirements the title company expects to be satisfied before it will issue coverage without adding the matter as an exception. Common examples include paying off an existing lien, obtaining releases, resolving ownership after a death or divorce, correcting a deed, paying taxes, or recording required closing documents.
The official Texas Form T-7 Commitment for Title Insurance states that Schedule C requirements must be satisfied or the company may refuse to cover those matters. The current TREC resale contract also says a buyer's failure to make a timely objection does not waive Schedule C requirements.
Schedule D: Who is involved and what premium is estimated?
Schedule D identifies parties involved in issuing the policy and provides premium information. It can show the title company, title agent and ownership interests in those entities. The commitment form also provides for the estimated title premium and applicable endorsements, while separate charges such as recording, tax-certificate, delivery or escrow fees may appear elsewhere.
How quickly should an El Paso buyer receive the title commitment?
Under the 2026 TREC resale contract, the seller must furnish the commitment within 20 days after the title company receives a copy of the contract. The seller also authorizes delivery of the commitment and, at the buyer's expense, legible copies of nonstandard exception documents.
If the package is not delivered in that time, the delivery period is automatically extended up to 15 days or until three days before closing, whichever is earlier. If it is still not delivered within the contract's required time, the buyer may have a right to terminate and receive the earnest money back.
Those rules apply when the parties use Form 20-19 without changing the relevant language. Other contracts may work differently. Buyers should track the actual contract and delivery dates rather than relying on a general calendar.
How long does a buyer have to object to a title issue?
Paragraph 6D of the current TREC resale contract contains a blank for the negotiated number of days. The buyer must object in writing by the earlier of the closing date or that number of days after receiving the commitment, exception documents and survey. Missing the deadline can waive the buyer's contractual right to object to covered matters.
If the buyer objects on time, the seller generally has a 15-day cure period, provided the seller is not obligated to incur an expense. If the objection is not cured, the form gives the buyer five days after the cure period to terminate and obtain a refund of earnest money or waive the objection. Revised commitments, new surveys and newly delivered exception documents can create a new objection period for the new matter.
Contract rights are fact-specific. A buyer concerned about an easement, heirship issue, lien, mineral reservation or access problem should consult a qualified Texas attorney before the deadline.
What title items deserve extra attention in El Paso and Horizon City?
- Legal access: Confirm that the property has the access represented in the contract and shown by the recorded documents.
- Easements: Review utility, drainage, access and shared-driveway easements and compare them with planned improvements.
- Restrictions: Read recorded covenants that may regulate additions, parking, exterior materials, rentals or property use.
- Liens and judgments: Confirm how existing mortgages, tax liens, abstracts of judgment or other claims will be released.
- Estate or divorce matters: Verify that every person or entity needed to convey title will sign or that the required authority is documented.
- Survey conflicts: Compare fences, walls, sheds, additions and encroachments with the survey and title exceptions.
- Mineral reservations: Understand that title coverage may exclude or limit minerals and mineral rights.
A commitment is document-specific. Do not assume that a neighboring property's restrictions, access or mineral ownership are identical.
Does title insurance replace a survey, inspection or homeowners insurance?
No. Title insurance addresses covered ownership problems that arose before the purchase. It does not cover fire, flood, theft, roof damage, plumbing failures or other physical property losses. It also does not determine the home's condition.
A survey shows boundaries and visible improvements. A home inspection evaluates physical systems and components. Homeowners insurance covers specified property and liability risks. Each serves a different purpose.
For survey timing and contract choices, read Casa By Owner's El Paso property survey guide. Buyers can also use the El Paso home buyer guide to organize inspections, financing and closing steps.
Who pays for title insurance in Texas?
The buyer and seller may negotiate who pays the owner's title policy premium. The contract records that choice. A lender commonly requires a loan policy to protect the lender's interest, but that loan policy does not replace the buyer's owner's policy.
Texas regulates title insurance premiums, so title companies charge the same basic policy premium for the same coverage amount. The TDI rate chart effective March 1, 2026 sets the current basic premium calculation. Escrow, tax-certificate, recording, courier and other closing charges may differ, so buyers and sellers should compare the entire fee estimate rather than only the regulated premium.
When an owner's policy and qualifying loan policy are issued simultaneously, Texas rules may allow the loan policy for $100, subject to the rule's conditions. Ask the title company to explain the quote for the specific transaction.
Can a buyer choose the title company?
TDI says a consumer may choose a licensed title company and does not have to use one selected by a real estate agent, builder or lender. Federal law also restricts a seller from conditioning the sale on use of a particular title insurer. The purchase contract still identifies the selected title company, so that decision should be addressed during negotiation.
What should an El Paso seller do when Schedule C shows a problem?
- Send payoff, divorce, probate, trust or entity documents to the title company promptly.
- Confirm the names on the deed match the people or entities signing the contract.
- Respond quickly to requests for releases, affidavits or corrective documents.
- Tell the title company about recent construction, unpaid contractors or possible liens.
- Keep the buyer informed if a cure may affect the closing date.
- Obtain legal advice when ownership, heirship, judgments or boundary rights are disputed.
Sellers preparing for a transaction can review Casa By Owner's El Paso home selling resources.
Frequently asked questions
Is a title commitment the same as clear title?
No. It is a conditional offer to issue a policy. Schedules B and C identify exceptions and requirements that must be reviewed.
Does a loan policy protect the buyer's equity?
No. A loan policy protects the lender's insured interest. An owner's policy protects the buyer against covered title losses up to the policy amount, subject to its terms.
Can every Schedule B exception be removed?
No. Some standard or property-specific exceptions will remain. Others may be amended, limited or removed if underwriting requirements are met. Ask the title company what is possible and what documentation or premium is required.
What happens if the commitment changes before closing?
The current TREC resale contract permits the buyer to object to a new matter revealed by a revised commitment, revised survey or newly delivered exception document within the contract's stated objection period, measured from delivery of the new item.
Should a buyer review the final title policy after closing?
Yes. Compare the policy's insured name, amount, legal description and Schedule B exceptions with the commitment and closing documents. Contact the title company promptly if something appears incorrect.
Need help planning an El Paso closing?
Casa By Owner helps buyers and sellers organize the real estate steps around title, surveys, inspections and closing throughout El Paso and Horizon City. For practical local guidance on your next move, contact Casa By Owner.
This article provides general educational information, not legal or title-insurance advice. Contract rights and coverage depend on the signed documents, policy and facts. Consult a qualified Texas attorney or licensed title professional for advice about a specific transaction.
Authoritative sources: Texas Department of Insurance Title Insurance FAQ; Texas Form T-7 Commitment; 2026 Texas title premium rates; and TREC Form 20-19.