No more VT registrations for out of state

[Synchro909]

I don't understand your system of cars with titles. Is it to prevent stolen cars being "rebirthed"?
I have a friend who had his Model A stolen in the US a couple of years ago and no sign has been found of it since. The only way I can see that could happen is that the car no longer exists and parts from it are running around in other cars. How could that be?
My friend would dearly love to get his car back again.

[Joe K]

Originally Posted by Synchro909

I don't understand your system of cars with titles.

Titling is a "legal" recognition of your ownership. That is all.

We do the same thing here with houses/real estate.

Without titling, houses/property/cars could be sold by simple "bill of sale" - which is SEVERELY PRONE to being forged. All you have with a bill of sale is the previous owner "cedes" all right to the item to you, and gives you his word that he truly owns what he is selling in exchange for your money.

But what if the previous Owner doesn't actually "own" what he claims to?

Usually for real estate, getting a title includes a "title search" which you hire (usually) a lawyer to do and he goes back into the official records of that property and "checks it out." He looks at tax bills, he looks at any extant bills of sale, he may even look at bank activity of the former (alive) owner to see if what he claims is correct - or if there can there be some "defect" to that title. An "easement" maybe sold by him (i.e. some "right" that you have with ownership but which you sell for cash money previouslyI)

When I was purchasing land to build my house here is Cow Hampshire, I looked at a parcel of land in South Hampton, NH - which at the time was pretty "rural." There had been some development and established building lots but a large portion of the town was held by large landholders and for whom the land had become "generational." Too many generations without a title search and the actual ownership (i.e. title) can become "clouded." Land split between sons, land exchanged one for one with cousins. Transfers of titles written on the backs of bar menu. All that sort of thing.

The land I had in mind had not clear title. The nearest I could get to it was a quit-claim deed from about 1690 which indicated the parcel was known as "Morrill's Lot," which it was as the adjacent hay field to a local 18th century homestead. Taxes were infrequently assessed, and a bit less frequently paid. It is a wonder and a testament to the ancestral owners connection to town politics that the land had not been taken in lieu of taxes.

I gave the land holder (it's generous to call him "owner.") 90 days to provide clear title, and I gave an offer 5K ABOVE the asking price if he could do that. No reply in 90 days and I sent along my "offer withdrawn" letter.

The land was ultimately sold and built upon, but builders take upon themselves straightening out titles as part of their risk of business. It took several years. Time which I did not have.

For automobiles, a title is a good thing. The state actually does a better job of tracking titles/VIDs than it does with most real-estate. And perhaps that is the problem? Compared to real-estate, titling for an automobile is a "very narrow" informational field - and justification for state existence in the activity is generally easily and early achieved. That is unless the state makes it appear more onerous than it really is.

And that may be the point. Someone justifying their existence.

Still, a title is an advantage and a security assurance for both parties in the transfer of property.

Think back to above where I give my description of "generating" a title for a September 1930 Model AA truck bought in another state. Given only an original bill of sale from 10 years earlier - and the vehicle in my possession, and that was enough legal background for the NH to accept my claim/ownership as legitimate, and give me a legal recognition of my ownership?

Not even any road or vehicle taxes paid on that. Not even a previous registration. (which proves it was a legitimate inspection worthy road vehicle.)

Cow Hampshire is known for "doing things next to the edge of envelope" - this may be one of them.

Joe K