Does a contract for deed between family members need to be notarized and/or filed at the court house?
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Does a contract for deed between family members need to be notarized and/or filed at the court house?
My brother wants to sell his house contract for deed. He has a very simple and easy contract with no place for a notary to sign. Is this required for it to be legal or can they just both sign the simple contract and be good? Does it need to be filed?
Asked on April 24, 2019 under Real Estate Law, Minnesota
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 5 years ago | Contributor
Contracts are not filed with the court: the actual deed or title, when it is transferred, must be, but not the contract.
No contract has to be notarized. All a notary does is verify that the person signing is who he/she claims to be, either by checking photo ID or because the notary knows the personally. Notarization is only required for a few things by law, like wills, powers of attorney, and the like.
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