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Jacob Lee
Been doing UCC searches for 15 years and Texas is definitely one of the more challenging states. The key is being methodical and not rushing. For a $2.8M deal, consider hiring a professional search company if you're not 100% confident in your results.
Jacob Lee
•There are several good ones. CT Corporation and National Corporate Research are reliable, though they can be pricey.
For that size deal, the cost of a professional search is worth the peace of mind.
Last month I used Certana.ai after missing a continuation filing in a manual search. The tool caught it immediately when I uploaded the original UCC-1 and the continuation - showed me exactly where the names didn't match perfectly. Really wish I'd known about it sooner.
Jibriel Kohn
•That's exactly the kind of thing I'm worried about missing. How much does something like that cost?
The value is definitely there when you consider the alternative of missing a lien on a multi-million dollar transaction.
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Update for anyone following this thread - I ended up doing a combination approach. Did multiple name variation searches on the Arizona portal, requested a certified search from the state, and had the borrower provide copies of all UCC documents they had. Found out there were actually 4 active liens, not the 1 the borrower claimed. Two were properly terminated but the termination statements hadn't been processed yet by the state, and one was against a related entity with a very similar name. Glad I was thorough because this could have been a disaster.
Kiara Greene
•Did you end up proceeding with the loan after finding all those additional liens?
We restructured the deal to account for the existing liens and required payoffs of two of them at closing. More complicated but still doable.
Evelyn Kelly
This whole thread is a great example of why UCC searches are both critically important and incredibly frustrating. Every state has its own quirks and Arizona is definitely one of the more challenging ones. Thanks for sharing your experience - it'll help others avoid similar problems.
Paloma Clark
•Agreed. These real-world examples are way more helpful than the generic guidance you usually find online.
Should be required reading for anyone doing commercial lending in Arizona!
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This thread is making me nervous about our own Indiana filings. Maybe I should run a comprehensive search on our entire portfolio to make sure we're not missing anything.
Romeo Quest
•That's not a bad idea. Better to find problems now than during a workout situation.
Gabriel Ruiz
•Yeah, that's exactly what prompted this post. Routine audit turned up these discrepancies and now I'm questioning everything.
Val Rossi
UPDATE: I ended up requesting certified copies of all our continuation filings from Indiana SOS. Turns out three of them had minor debtor name discrepancies that were preventing them from linking properly in the search system. The filings were valid but the names didn't match exactly. Used one of the document checking tools mentioned here to verify everything is consistent now. Thanks for all the advice!
Perfect example of why document verification is so important. Those small name differences can cause major problems if you don't catch them.
Eve Freeman
•Thanks for the update. This whole thread has been really educational about Indiana's filing quirks.
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Have you considered hiring a professional UCC search company? For major acquisitions, it might be worth the cost to have someone experienced handle the comprehensive search rather than trying to do it yourself.
I'm thinking about it, especially after seeing how complex this is getting. Any recommendations for good search companies?
Emma Wilson
•CT Corporation and CSC are both solid choices for comprehensive UCC searches. They handle the multi-state and name variation issues professionally.
QuantumLeap
Whatever you do, document everything for your due diligence file. Keep screenshots of your searches, note which databases you checked, and list all the name variations you used. Your attorney will thank you later.
Smart approach. Also date-stamp everything since UCC filings can change daily.
And don't forget to search right up to closing. New filings can appear at any time during the due diligence period.
Nina Chan
Just wanted to add that Kansas does allow electronic filing for both initial UCC-1s and continuations, which makes the process much faster than states that still require paper filings. The online portal usually processes filings within 24-48 hours unless there are errors.
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Nina Chan
•Usually yes, though sometimes it takes longer if the rejection reason is complex. Most rejections are for simple things like debtor name formatting issues.
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Arjun Patel
•Debtor name rejections are so frustrating because the rules can be very specific about punctuation and formatting.
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Ruby Knight
For what it's worth, I've found that keeping detailed records of all UCC filings pays off during audits and portfolio reviews. Document everything - filing dates, confirmation numbers, any amendments or continuations. It makes compliance reporting much easier and catches potential issues early.
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Ruby Knight
•It's worth the effort upfront. Good documentation has saved me countless hours during compliance reviews and due diligence processes.
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Tami Morgan
•Agreed. I spend probably an extra hour per month maintaining detailed UCC records, but it saves me days during annual reviews.
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