How to Transfer Your House Title from a Parent to a Child | 9 Steps

When you own a house, it’s yours. But when your parents co-signed for your house mortgage, they automatically became the legal owners of title to that property. Should your parent pass away, you could face an issue transferring home ownership to their child or any potential future owners. Before you proceed any further with transferring ownership of title ownership to your parent’s property, make sure you have read this article thoroughly and understand the main points to help guide you in the right direction on how to transfer your house title from a parent to a child.

What is a House Title Transfer?

A house title transfer occurs when a parent transfers all of the titles to their home to their child as part of a will. When a person owns a home, they also own the title. The title to a house is the legal document that grants permission for a person to use the property. 

After a house is transferred from one owner to another automatically no longer belongs to the original owner. It now belongs to the new owner, who can use it without permission from the previous owner. 

A house title transfer can be done in one of two ways. First, it can be done in the form of a “grant deed,” in which the name of the new owner, the amount of the sale, the sale price, and the date of the sale are recorded. A second way to transfer a house title is through a “record sale,” a declarative document that transfers the title.

How to Transfer Your House Title from a Parent to a Child

Knowing how to transfer your house title from one parent to the other can be difficult after a divorce. While both partners can stay in the house, this is not without its challenges. 

It might also seem that transferring your house title will result in the house being taken out of joint. But there are ways that you can ensure that your home stays as part of both of you after your parents’ marriage ends.

We break down everything you need to know about transferring your house title as a parent and child who no longer live under the same roof. Here are the steps to transfer your house title from a parent to a child.

• Get the parent’s title deed & any other documents.
• Check if the property is registered with the Land Registry.
• Check if the property is free from mortgage.
• Get new deeds for new owners or beneficiaries.
• Know your rights and responsibilities
• Calculate capital gains tax when you sell your property
• Check the legal documents.
• Bring an independent surveyor and get a valuation.
• Determine if selling & buying is the right option for the property

Get the parent’s title deed & any other documents.

Before doing anything else, you should know the title deeds for your parent’s property and other relevant documents. A title deed is a document that details the ownership of land and other properties and is issued by government property registries. 

You can get a copy of the title deed from your relative, an attorney, the land registry and many other sources. If your home is in the name of your parent and not in joint names, then the title deed will show the grantor’s name, the grantee’s name and the property’s address. The title deed will also show the grantor’s name, the grantee’s name, the grantee’s date, and the property’s address. 

You can also get any other documents that may be relevant to your situation, like deeds for other real estate owned by your relative or deeds for other properties that may have been given to your relative.

Check if the property is registered with the Land Registry.

If the property is registered with the Land Registry, then you can get a copy of the registration from the Land Registry. You can search for the registration or get the registration from the Land Registry.

If the property is not registered with the Land Registry, you can register it yourself. You can register for unregistered land only after the property has been built. 

Once the property is registered, you can transfer the title to your name. It is important to note that if the registered owner of the property is someone other than the grantor, then you can only transfer the title to your name if you are the grantee. In other words, if you were the grantor, you only need to register the property in your name and give the title to your child or other beneficiaries.

Check if the property is free from mortgage.

If the property is free from mortgage, then it means that it does not have a mortgage on it. This means that you will have to take care of the mortgage of the property if there is one. In this scenario, you should check if there are any mortgages on the property. 

You can check this by checking with the loan owner or registrar of the Land Registry for the country in which the property is located. You can also check with the mortgage registrar of the country where you live by visiting the website of the Land Registration Office.

Get new deeds for new owners or beneficiaries.

The next thing you need to do is get new deeds for the new owner or beneficiaries. This is a crucial step as it formalizes your ownership of the property. The deed can be in the new owner’s name, but it should be in the new owner’s name and beneficiaries. The new deed should also include the address of the property. 

You can get a new deed from the land registry, an attorney and many other sources. You need to note that if someone other than the new owner is going to live in the house after you die, then you will need a power of attorney that allows that person to access the title deed for the house.

A power of attorney should also allow that person to take care of the mortgage on the property. A power of attorney should be signed by you and notarized. You can find detailed information on getting a power of attorney from an attorney or most state laws.

Know your rights and responsibilities

One important thing that you need to know is that you have rights and responsibilities as the homeowner. For example, the state or local government can levy a fine on your home if you do not pay your property taxes. You are also responsible for maintaining the structure of the house. This includes the roof, plumbing and electrical systems, foundations, etc. 

If you decide to sell your house in the future, you need to make sure that you follow all the rules and regulations related to selling real estate. This includes not holding open houses or allowing prospective buyers to view your house.

You are also obligated to disclose all defects in the house that may affect the property’s sale price. For example, you may not be able to tell the buyer about a dangerous condition in the house that is unrelated to the value of the house.

Calculate capital gains tax when you sell your property

If you sell your house in the future, you will have to pay capital gains tax. The tax rate depends on the kind of asset that you sell. Generally, anyone who sells an asset worth more than $1 million will have to pay the tax. The tax rate is either 0%, 12%, 24%, 32% or 37%. 

To calculate the amount of tax you will have to pay, you need to determine the difference between the sale price of your house and the purchase price. From the sale price, you will need to subtract any expenses incurred while owning the house, including the mortgage, property taxes, maintenance and insurance costs. Then you need to add any amount that you contributed.

Check the legal documents.

Before finalizing the deal and buying or selling your house, you must ensure that all the legal documents are up-to-date. This includes the deed for your house, a power of attorney for the mortgage on the house, the title for the land on which your house is built, the mortgage for the land on which your house is built, the insurance policy for your house and the homeowner’s insurance policy for your house. 

If you want to sell your house in the future, you will also want to make sure that all the necessary documents are in place to sell the house. This includes the deed for the house, a power of attorney for the mortgage on the house, the title for the land on which the house is built, the purchase agreement for the house, the mortgage for the house, the insurance policy for the house and the homeowner’s insurance policy for the house.

Bring an independent surveyor and get a valuation.

When buying a piece of property, you may want to consider hiring an independent surveyor to survey the property. This is especially important if you buy a new house or a piece of land.

The survey will verify whether the land is free from encumbrances such as mortgages or encroachments by the government. It will also help you determine the fair market value of the property.

A survey can be expensive, so you may want to consider doing it only if you think it is necessary. If you are buying a property, it would be wise to hire an independent surveyor to survey before buying the property. This is especially important if the property is new or has not been sold in the past two years.

Determine if selling & buying is the right option for the property

One of the first things you need to do after you get the title deed for your house is to decide whether you want to sell it in the future or keep it and live in it as long as possible.

There are many advantages to selling your house, such as earning a profit while avoiding the upkeep and maintenance associated with a house. There are also disadvantages, such as the fact that you will have to pay taxes on your profit. Another important decision you need to make is about the location of your house. If the location is undesirable or not practical for your lifestyle, you may want to consider moving.

Final Word

If you’re one of the millions of parents who’s lived in your house for years, and yet the deed transfer to you isn’t what it used to be, consider turning it over to your child. The house is likely worth more than you and your family, so selling it now will be a great way to save for retirement and provide for your child’s future. But you may wonder how to transfer your house title from a parent to a child without a will or any other legal documents. 

The answer is that it’s possible to transfer your house title to a child without a will if you and your spouse have a prenuptial agreement that spells out the division of assets between you and your child.

Once you and your spouse have a prenuptial agreement that spells out the division of assets between you and your child, you can sign a new deed for your house with the name of your child as the homeowner resident. 

Although it’s possible to transfer your house title to a child without a will or any other legal documents, it’s smart to consider whether it’s the right move for you. Before making any move that could affect your family’s future, consult a lawyer to advise you on the potential risks.