How Do I Remove a Name From a Deed to a House?
While laws vary by state, in most instances removing a name from a deed to a house requires recording a new deed. According to Realtor.com, a quitclaim deed removes a name from the property when no money changes hands. Such deeds require no title insurance or title search but are useful when property titles change without the property selling.
Quitclaim deeds are useful to correct errors in recording. Upon the discovery of the error, the title company prepares the quitclaim deed and asks the individual to sign the document. Realtor.com indicates this ensures the individual does not make a claim against the property later.
Realtor.com reports that quitclaim deeds help families working through property issues. Divorce proceedings sometimes require filing the deed to remove a former spouse from the house deed. In marriage, quitclaim deeds allow owners to add a new spouse. Parents use quitclaim deeds when transferring homes to children or a family trust.
In certain instances, it is possible for the spouse of a deceased individual to remove that individual’s name from the deed by recording a copy of the death certificate without a quitclaim deed. According to the St. Lucie County Clerk’s Office, if the couple owned property jointly in Florida, filing the certificate leaves the surviving spouse as the sole owner of the once jointly held property.
