Recording A Deed After Closing: How Long Does It Take?
The period after closing on your very first investment property comes with a lot of excitement. However, you have to think about recording a deed when that’s over. Recording your deed accordingly is an essential process in protecting your legal rights.
Apart from that, the deed is one document you can use to prove legal ownership of your property or investment. You also need it if you’re keen on attracting serious investors to finance your property.
If you wonder why deed recording takes so long, you‘ve come to the right place. We’ll discuss the process to file the deed appropriately and highlight the ideal duration to prepare the document.
How Long Does It Take to Record a Deed?
It should take between 14 and 90 days for you to receive a deed recorded properly. That might seem a long time to wait, especially if you’re doing it for the first time. Nevertheless, it should give your local government administration or office enough time to carefully review every detail and information on the document to ensure its accuracy.
The last thing you need is a highly sensitive legal document full of errors. Hence, a little patience won’t hurt as the government works on your deed.
Who’s Responsible for the Deed Recording Process?
Usually, the responsibility of recording the deed falls on the buyer. The buyer can usually complete this process at the county clerk’s office, also referred to as the Recorder of Deeds Office or the County Recorder. Of course, a legal representative should oversee any real estate transaction. In this case, they could be a closing attorney or closing company.
How to Tell If the Deed Has Been Recorded Properly
To know if the deed has been recorded accordingly, you must talk to the closing attorney or the title company with whom you worked during the closing process. They must send you a clear copy of the deed’s final recording page. The final recording page of the deed must indicate the exact date when the county clerk recorded the deed and the location where you can find it.
What If the Deed is not Recorded Accordingly?
Suppose the recording process does not capture the information accurately. In that case, the authorities won’t recognize you as the rightful owner of the investment or property. That limits your ability to refinance or sell your property. You might also be unable to use the property to access a loan.
Worse still, the previous property owner could decide to sell it to another person if the person manages to access the deed ahead of you. These scenarios rarely happen, but you shouldn’t rule out this possibility.
If the deed doesn’t reflect the correct information, you must immediately call the closing attorney or title company. Your legal representative can help you to submit another request to have the deed recorded a second time to rectify existing errors.
Getting your deed recorded as soon as you have closed on a certain property is imperative. The document helps prove legal ownership and protects you in litigation. The time it takes for your county clerk to record a deed might be long, but it’s worthwhile in the end. Don’t hesitate to contact our investment specialists if you need advice on this process.