Commercial title & escrow • Virginia & West Virginia

Big commercial deals are won or lost in the details.

From acquisitions and development to 1031 exchanges and entity deals, Prime Title & Escrow handles the due diligence, the survey work, and the large-dollar escrow that commercial closings demand. Independent, attorney-led, across Virginia and West Virginia.

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Attorney-led Independent ALTA surveys & endorsements 1031 exchanges

Commercial is its own discipline

A commercial closing is not a bigger home closing.

Commercial deals carry layers a residential file rarely sees: title commitments with lender requirements, ALTA surveys, easements and access rights, entity authority, and funds large enough to make every wire a target.

Miss one of those, and the deal slips or the risk lands on you after closing. Our role is to find the problems early, clear them, and keep every party moving toward a clean, insured close.

What a commercial close adds

Title commitments and lender requirements
ALTA/NSPS survey review
Easements, encroachments, and access
Entity authority and signing documents
Multi-party and escrow coordination
Construction and mechanic's lien issues
Larger funds and wire protection

Buying or selling?

Which side of the deal are you on?

Each side carries its own risks and its own timeline. We handle both, end to end, with the Virginia and West Virginia data and legal judgment your deal deserves.

Buying commercial property

From your letter of intent to recording, we run the due diligence that protects your capital. We clear title, review the survey, confirm authority, and hold your funds in secure escrow, so you close with clean, insured title.

Full title search and commitment
ALTA survey review
Liens and defects cleared
Secure escrow for large wires

Explore commercial buying

Selling commercial property

We clear the path to closing: ordering payoffs, securing lien releases, delivering marketable title, and handling Virginia's grantor's tax, so your sale closes on time and your proceeds reach you safely.

Payoffs and lien releases
Marketable title delivered
Virginia grantor's tax handled
Proceeds protected

Explore commercial selling

What we handle

Commercial title and escrow, end to end.

Acquisitions & dispositions

Clean, insurable title for every purchase or sale, with the curative work finished before you reach the table.

Commercial refinances

Fast, accurate title and escrow that satisfies your lender and keeps the refinance on schedule.

Development & construction

Construction disbursement, mechanic's lien protection, and title work built for ground-up and value-add projects.

1031 exchanges

Coordination with your qualified intermediary so the exchange closes on time and your deadlines hold.

Entity & multi-party deals

Title and escrow for transactions held in LLCs, partnerships, and trusts, with the documentation each structure requires.

Leasehold & easements

Title insurance and review for leasehold interests, access rights, and the easements commercial deals depend on.

ALTA surveys & endorsements

We coordinate ALTA/NSPS surveys and the endorsements that tailor your policy to the property and the risk.

Commercial title insurance

Owner's and lender's policies sized to the deal, protecting your investment against defects, liens, and competing claims.

Financing the deal

Commercial real estate loan types, explained.

Commercial real estate loans are mortgages secured by income-producing or business-occupied property. The right structure depends on the asset, the business plan, and the timeline. Here are the categories you are most likely to encounter.

Permanent (conventional) loans

First mortgages used to acquire or refinance stabilized commercial properties.

Term5 to 10 years, amortized over 20 to 30, often ending in a balloon payment.

Best forEstablished properties with steady cash flow.

SBA loans

Backed by the U.S. Small Business Administration, with lower down payments and rates, but stricter eligibility and longer approval.

SBA 7(a) SBA 504

7(a)General-purpose mortgages for owner-occupied buildings.

504Major fixed assets, like owner-occupied facilities or equipment.

Best forOwner-occupied business property.

Bridge loans

Short-term, transitional financing that bridges the gap until permanent financing is secured or the property is stabilized.

Term6 months to 3 years.

Best forQuick purchases or value-add projects, such as buying and renovating before refinancing.

Construction loans

Short-term loans for ground-up development or major renovation, funded in draws as milestones are met rather than one lump sum.

Term1 to 3 years, often rolled into a construction-to-permanent loan at completion.

Best forNew development and major rehab projects.

CMBS (conduit) loans

Commercial mortgage-backed securities, where loans are pooled, securitized, and sold to investors on the secondary market.

TermOften fixed-rate with longer amortization, but require high occupancy and strong financials.

Best forStabilized, high-performing assets.

Hard money loans

Short-term, higher-interest loans from private lenders, based mainly on the property's value as collateral rather than the borrower's credit.

TermShort-term, with higher interest rates.

Best forFast acquisitions or distressed properties traditional lenders will not fund.

Commercial lines of credit

Revolving credit you can draw, repay, and redraw up to a set limit, rather than a single fixed advance.

Best forImmediate capital needs, unexpected repairs, or short-term operating expenses.

Prime Title & Escrow is a title and escrow company, not a lender. This overview is general education to help you talk with lenders and advisors. It is not a loan offer, a commitment to lend, or financial advice. Rates, terms, and eligibility vary by lender, property, and deal, so confirm specifics with a commercial lender.

Sources: Corporate Finance Institute, Investopedia, and the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Why the work matters

On a commercial deal, the margin for error is thin.

$600B+

in risk the title industry clears for buyers and lenders each year

ALTA, 2026

Nearly 60%

of transactions need three to five title issues resolved before closing

ALTA, 2026

$150K–$200K

average loss per real estate wire fraud incident, and commercial runs higher

ALTA / Stewart

$2.77B

lost to business email compromise in 2024 alone

FBI IC3, 2024

Prime does this work before your capital is ever at the table.

Why investors and developers choose Prime

Legal judgment, independence, and care on every file.

Attorney-led

Two real estate attorneys oversee your file. When a title problem or a complex structure appears, you have legal judgment on it, not a checklist.

Independent and neutral

We run no affiliated arrangements and stay independent. Our only loyalty is to your transaction and a clean close.

Built for complexity

Surveys, easements, entities, exchanges, and construction. We handle the due diligence commercial deals demand and keep every party aligned.

Funds protected

Large wires are a target. We use secure escrow and verified instructions, and we confirm by phone before a dollar moves.

How a commercial closing runs

A clear path from contract to recording.

1

Open and order

We open the file, order the title search, and request the survey and lender requirements.

2

Commitment and survey

We issue the title commitment and review the survey for easements, encroachments, and access.

3

Diligence and curative

We clear liens, judgments, and defects, and confirm the entity's authority to sign.

4

Coordinate the close

We align buyer, seller, lender, counsel, and any intermediary, and confirm the figures.

5

Fund and record

We protect and disburse the funds, record the documents, and deliver clean, insured title.

Commercial questions

What investors and developers ask us.

What makes a commercial closing different from a residential one?

Commercial deals add entity ownership, ALTA surveys, easements and access rights, lender requirements, larger funds, and more parties at the table. Each one is a place a deal can stall, so each one needs a closer who knows what to look for.

Do you coordinate ALTA/NSPS surveys?

Yes. We order and review the survey, flag easements, encroachments, and access concerns, and add the endorsements that tailor your title policy to the property and the risk.

Can you handle a 1031 exchange?

Yes. We coordinate with your qualified intermediary and structure the closing so your identification and exchange deadlines are protected.

Can you close deals held in an LLC, partnership, or trust?

Yes. We confirm the entity's authority to transact and prepare the signing documents each structure requires, so signing day does not surface a surprise.

What does commercial title insurance cover?

Owner's and lender's policies protect against title defects such as liens, ownership disputes, recording errors, and competing claims, with endorsements that fit the deal. It is a one time cost that protects the investment for as long as you hold it.

How do you protect large wire transfers?

We use secure escrow and verified wire instructions and confirm details by phone. Before any funds move, call our office and confirm the instructions with a person you have spoken with. We will never send new instructions by email out of the blue.

Do you work with our lender, broker, and attorneys?

Yes. We coordinate with every party on the deal, keep the file moving, and keep your timeline intact.

Have a commercial deal on the table?

Send us the details and we will tell you exactly how Prime will protect the title, the funds, and the timeline, with independent, attorney-led service across Virginia and West Virginia.

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(703) 552-4155 118 Edwards Ferry Rd NE, Unit 210, Leesburg, VA 20176