Estate property files often contain several descriptions of the same land: the deed, the tax record, the survey, the listing, and the insurance schedule. They rarely agree in every detail. A parcel number with a transposed digit, an acreage that changed after a split, or a legal description that references an older plat can stall a sale or, worse, go unnoticed until closing.

A mismatch log does not resolve title. It records the differences, the sources, and the questions that require a qualified reviewer.

Capture Each Description From Its Source

For every property in the estate, record the description as it appears in each source: the recorded deed, the tax assessor record, the survey, the title commitment, the insurance schedule, and any listing or appraisal. Include the date of the source and where the document is stored.

Do not retype a legal description from memory. Copy it from the source and preserve the original.

Compare Specific Fields

A practical comparison looks at the parcel identifier, the acreage, the lot and block references, the subdivision or plat reference, the street address, and the recording reference. Where a source omits a field, record the omission rather than filling it in.

A difference is not automatically an error. A parcel number can change after a subdivision, an address can be reassigned, and acreage can be described as gross or net. The log should record the difference and the apparent explanation, not a conclusion.

Classify the Question

Group mismatches by the kind of review they need:

  • Clerical difference, such as a formatting or abbreviation difference
  • Record difference, such as a parcel number that changed after a split
  • Description difference, such as acreage or boundary language
  • Identity difference, such as a name or entity that does not match
  • Missing source, where a referenced document is not in the file

This classification tells the reviewer where to start and prevents every difference from being treated as an emergency.

Assign the Follow-Up

The coordinator can request a corrected record, order a current assessment, or ask the executor for a missing document within the approved scope. Questions about ownership, boundaries, easements, and title effect belong to the attorney or title professional.

Record the owner and the date for each follow-up. A log without dates becomes a list of concerns rather than a work plan.

Keep It Beside the Contract Timeline

A mismatch matters most when a contract deadline depends on it. Link the log entry to the purchase agreement, the due diligence period, or the closing date so the team can see which open item could affect a commitment.

If a title company or attorney needs the information, send the specific comparison and the source documents rather than the entire log.

Handle the Common Situations

**The deed and tax record disagree on acreage.** Record both and request the source of each. Do not average them or choose the more convenient figure.

**The parcel number changed.** Record the old and new identifiers and the document that shows the change, if available.

**A legal description references a plat that is not in the file.** Record the missing reference and request it. The reviewer needs the plat to compare the description.

**The executor believes the documents are identical.** Compare the fields and show the difference. A calm, specific comparison is more useful than a general warning.

Audit the Log Before Closing

Before the file moves to closing or to the attorney, review the log for open items that affect the transaction. Confirm each has an owner, a next date, and a clear statement of what remains unresolved.

The goal is not a perfectly consistent set of records. Public records and private documents rarely are. The goal is that every difference is known, sourced, and assigned before someone relies on it.