Affidavit of Affixation Checklist for Title Companies

A foundation certification addresses an engineering question. An affidavit concerning affixation belongs to the property's legal and recording process. Treating the two as interchangeable can leave a file with an attachment but an unresolved condition.

For Freddie Mac loans, Guide Section 5703.4 addresses real-property, title, and lien requirements. The title company and lender must determine the documentation applicable to the transaction and jurisdiction.

What does each document establish?

Engineer’s foundation or affixation report

This document answers the engineering question within the agreed scope. Review its property identifiers, findings, attachments, and limitations. Ask the lender to specify the required assessment before ordering it.

Affidavit and recording evidence

The affidavit and evidence of recording belong to the title process. Ask the title team which document is required, who prepares and signs it, and which office handles recording. A delivered engineering report is not proof that recording has occurred.

Closing checklist

Use the checklist to connect these separate tasks. Identify the reviewer who decides whether each item is complete, rather than giving every attachment the same status when the engineer sends the report.

What if the property details do not match?

Flag the discrepancy before documents are finalized. Send the conflicting records to the party responsible for the affected document and ask which source should be used. Do not edit a signed report or recorded instrument to make names, serial numbers, or addresses agree.

For engineering work, supply the corrected source information and ask the engineer to review the required change. For title and recording corrections, follow the title professional’s instructions.

Questions to settle before the closing appointment

• Has the lender reviewed the engineering report, or has it only been delivered?
• Are required signatures still outstanding?
• Who will submit the recording package?
• Who will obtain and distribute the recorded copy?
• Are any discrepancies or additional conditions still open?

Need the engineering portion? Request an affixation report quote with the address and the lender or title team’s exact request. Review the instrument overview to prepare the document list.

Affixation preparation checklist

Before the title team prepares or records an affidavit, confirm:

• The property address, parcel description, and owner names used in the transaction.
• Available manufacturer, serial, and home identification records.
• The current home title and any outstanding title questions.
• Whether the lender also requires a separate engineer’s foundation report.
• Who prepares the affidavit and obtains the required signatures.
• Who handles recording and supplies the recorded copy for closing.

Use this as an intake checklist. The title team determines the documents and recording steps required for the property; an engineer’s report addresses the engineering scope.

Write the document names in full

Before ordering “the affixation,” ask whether the requester means an engineering report, an affidavit, evidence of recording, title surrender information, or a package containing several items. Record the required document and its purpose on the closing checklist.

This is particularly useful when the buyer, loan officer, and title officer use different shorthand for the same file. A shared list prevents a completed engineering task from being mistaken for completed recording work.

Identify the owner of each task

Ask who prepares, signs, reviews, delivers, and records each document. Those responsibilities may involve different people. Confirm the intended workflow with the title company rather than assuming one professional handles the entire chain.

Where a title record or signature is missing, describe the missing item directly. Do not use an engineering conclusion to fill a legal-document gap.

Check the property details together

Compare the address, parcel information, homeowner names as supplied by the title team, and available home identifiers. If records use different descriptions, bring the discrepancy to the responsible party before documents are finalized.

Send the engineer the property information and the written engineering condition. Send title questions to the title professional handling the file. Keep a dated record of requests and replies so changes are visible.

Plan for review after delivery

A report delivery, a signed affidavit, and a confirmed recording are separate milestones. Ask the title company what evidence completes each step and what must be in hand before closing.

Explore our instrument overview and the affixation process. Request help with the property when the scope is known, or start with Scapular's guidance form if you need to identify the next responsible party.