Wake County Real Estate Deeds (2024)

FAQs

How do I look up a deed in NC? ›

To look at a deed you can: Go to your Register of Deeds Office and look at the document there.

How do I add or remove names from a deed? Deed name changes require the submittal of a new deed to the Register of Deeds office. We suggest that you consult an attorney unless you are familiar with creating legal documents.

How do I remove or add a name to a deed? You will need to have a new deed drawn up and filed. It is recommended that you consult an attorney.

Public records requests may be submitted in person, by mail, by phone or through electronic means. The preferred method for receiving public records requests is through the department's online public request form, which allows NCDOA to better track requests and respond in a timely manner.

North Carolina charges an excise tax—which is like transfer taxes in other states—for recording deeds that transfer North Carolina real estate. The person transferring property must pay the tax to the register of deeds when presenting the deed for recording.

A properly recorded deed can take anywhere from 14 days to 90 days. That may seem like a long time, but your local government office goes over every little detail on the deed to make sure the property is correct and there are no errors.

To be validly registered pursuant to G.S. 47‑20, a mortgage, deed of trust or conditional sales contract, or any combination of these, of both personal property and real property must be registered pursuant to the provisions of G.S. 47‑20.1 for the real property covered by the instrument and pursuant to the provisions ...

4. Can I prepare my own deed and have it recorded? North Carolina law allows you to prepare a Deed of Conveyance for any real property to which you have legal title. However, the conveyance of real property is a legal matter that should be given under and with the advise of legal counsel.

What are the tax implications of adding someone to a deed in North Carolina? ›

Adding a family member to the deed as a joint owner for no consideration is considered a gift of 50% of the property's fair market value for tax purposes. If the value of the gift exceeds the annual exclusion limit ($16,000 for 2022) the donor will need to file a gift tax return (via Form 709) to report the transfer.

Quitclaim deeds are a particular type of deed used to facilitate the transfer of property ownership between close family members and spouses. It is one of the simplest methods for transferring property ownership.

In other words, if your name is on the deed, you are tenants-by-the-entireties, and if one of you dies, the other owns the property entirely. If you are not on the mortgage for whatever reason, you are not liable for paying the mortgage loan. That said, you get your spouse's interest in the property if they die.

Costs and Fees

Filing Fees: In North Carolina, filing fees for recording real estate documents vary by document type. For quitclaim deeds, the cost is typically $26 for the first 15 pages. Deeds of trust and mortgages have a higher fee of $64 for the first 35 pages, with an additional $4 per extra page.

Someone can remove an ex from a mortgage by refinancing the mortgage loan with another lender. Someone can remove an ex from a deed if they refuse to sign papers by getting a court order authorizing the court clerk to sign a new deed.

The Register of Deeds is the custodian and manager of a large number of public records. The public records archived in our office include real estate transactions, birth and death certificates, marriage licenses, notary public oaths, DD214s and more.

A decedent's will becomes a public record when it is filed, after the decedent's death, with the clerk of court. Any person may view a public record or request a copy of a public record for a fee.

At the registry of deeds office, you can request information on a property that will provide you with the public record of who owns the property and some basic information about its current legal status and any liens or claims on the property.

In North Carolina, to acquire ownership of land by adverse possession, the claimant must show actual, open, hostile, exclusive, and continuous possession of the land claimed for the prescriptive period under known and visible lines and boundaries.