The correct answer is that you never truly 'own' anything until you are in a position whereby the asset is free of ongoing or recurring financial liabilities to any third parties so that these 3rd parties can never exercise a right to use the legal process to remove your name from the legal title of said asset.
Until such time, you are merely a 'renter' or 'user' of such property, with a right of current physical possession, no matter how cheap (or expensive) the rent (i.e. taxes, mortgage payment, etc.), and no matter what is printed on a electronic or paper record at any governmental office, and this is why you will need to have updated title work done prior to selling the asset to another.
If you could use the same title work, showing simply that you were the last 'purchaser' in the chain of title, and that you've paid off any debt that was undertaken to purchase the property (whereby a discharge of that debt issued), and a bona fide purchaser would have confidence buying the asset at that point, you'd be a true owner.
But you can't. And a bona fide purchaser won't; unless they take tile 'subject to,' in which case they will assume such liabilities you failed to satisfy (in addition to future liabilities). And the person assuming your liabilities on such an asset won't be a true 'owner' of that asset, either.
True ownership of real estate is a myth in a society whereby the government can and does assess a recurring financial liability to the 'holder of record' that must be paid in order for that holder of record to remain as such.
Unless the property is exempt from such obligations, you are a 'holder of record,' able to convey your same interest to another, assuming you have, at any given time, fully discharged any debt used to take possession of the asset, and satisfied all present liabilities that the state has levied against the asset.
You can own a watch. There are is no recurring, mandatory government tribute to be paid in order to remain in physical possession and legal title in regard to a watch. Once the purchase price, sales tax and other obligatory, known, quantifiable, up-front fees are paid, you own that watch.
The same is not true of your house or home.
It's not a semantical difference; it's economically fundamental.
And fundamentally speaking, our society has evolved into a complacent state of acceptance of government so large that everyday people have been tricked into a gigantic myth that they actually 'own' their homes.
The majority of people don't even critically dissect the meaning of a word as basic as 'own' anymore.
I am lucky.