DALTX Real EstateDALTX Real EstateDALTX Real Estate
  • Home
  • Guest Post
  • Agents
  • Contact Us
  • About
  • Advertise With Us
Reading: Haunted by The Deeds of Dead People This Spooky Season?
Share
Font ResizerAa
DALTX Real EstateDALTX Real Estate
Font ResizerAa
  • Home
  • Guest Post
  • Agents
  • Contact Us
  • About
  • Advertise With Us
  • Home
  • Guest Post
  • Agents
  • Contact Us
  • About
  • Advertise With Us
Follow US
© DALTX. All Rights Reserved.
DALTX Real Estate > Blog > Haunted by The Deeds of Dead People This Spooky Season?
Blog

Haunted by The Deeds of Dead People This Spooky Season?

4 Min Read
SHARE
Contents
Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way …Proof of Death
Who gets a house when someone dies? Find out more chilling title issues in this title tip column.

This spooky season is the best time to bring up the dark topic of death. Particularly how it relates to real estate.

Many times, I’ve heard homeowners say, “I should probably do — blank — in case something happens to me.” Time to get real. It’s not if something happens to you, but when something happens. That something is dying. And we’re all going to do it.

A deed transfers real estate and a deed must be signed by a living person. When a property is held in the name of a deceased person, a probated will, court order, or Affidavit of Heirship is required to determine heirship and who can sign a deed to transfer a property.

Typically, when a homeowner dies, their property passes to their heirs immediately upon death unless there is a will or estate plan. However, transferring ownership and the title requires documentation that must be filed in county records.

In Texas, the deceased property owner’s name must be removed in order to transfer a deed and the new owners of the property must be identified. This can be done at the same time the property is being sold, but it takes additional time and documentation.

Removing a deceased owner from the deed can be simple or very complex. The situation varies and there is no one-size-fits-all answer to transferring a deed after death. 

Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way …

In Texas, we have state laws that govern how a deceased owner’s property passes. The easiest way is with a probated will. Without a probated will, the Texas Estates Code is followed.

The number of Texans who die without a will is astonishingly large. In Texas, a Transfer on Death Deed (TODD) allows a property to pass to another person without a will. But those types of deeds are rare.

In many situations, the heirs are the surviving spouse or children of the deceased. However, it can also be a charity, church, or a friend of the deceased. Regardless of who the heirs are, heirship must be determined before the property may be sold. Sometimes the heirs and would-be sellers must hire an attorney to help settle ownership rights.

A court order or affidavit does not transfer the title of the house. A deed must be properly signed, notarized, and recorded with the county to transfer ownership.

Proof of Death

The title company may require a copy of the death certificate, obituary, and an Affidavit of Heirship. An Affidavit of Heirship is a sworn statement to identify heirs. It is a legal document recorded in the county records. Once recorded, it removes the deceased’s name from the property title and shows the heirs as the owners.

There are risks involved for the title company when transferring a deed after someone has died. The title company will confirm a probated will or heirship affidavit, rights of signatories, creditor’s rights against the property, and heirs who must sign documents.

How a property passes after death can be a trick or a treat for those who inherit it – depending on how the homeowner prepares for the inevitable.

Get a Gander at Galveston History While Safe at Home
Forget Chocolate for Valentines: I Want a Ski Home in Telluride at the Villas at Cortina
Boot Ranch Really Kicking It Up Down in Fredericksburg
How Rising Energy Costs Are Shaping Homeownership in Texas
Live Like Kendall Roy in This Luxe Manhattan Condo
TAGGED:Title Tip
Share This Article
Facebook Email Copy Link Print
Previous Article What’s The Best Way To Send an Electronic Funds Transfer During Closing?
Next Article How Are Title Companies Combating Money Laundering?
Popular News
Snowmass condos

Limelight and Lumin Brighten the Snowmass Housing Scene

Can We Whisper To You About This Indiana Victorian?
Beauty Magnate’s Former Preston Hollow Luxury Home
Are Texas Home Mortgage Fees Really Highest in U.S.?
Exceptional University Park Home Designed And Built by Larry Boerder
about us

DaltxRealEstate.com is the largest real estate blog and the only one in North Texas.

Links

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • Contact Us
  • Paid Guest Post Submission

Categories

  • Wednesday WTF
  • East Dallas
  • Monday Morning Millionaire
  • Upon Closer Inspection

Get Involved

  • Advertise With Us
  • Write for Us: Submit Guest Post

Find Us on Socials

© DALTX. All Rights Reserved.
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?