Deed of Trust Form

A deed of trust form is used to transfer property from one person to another. A deed of trust form must comply with the state laws where the property is located. Generally, a deed of trust form includes information about each party, the amount of the mortgage, payment amounts, due dates, and a description of the property being sold.

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What is a Deed of Trust?

A deed of trust is a legal document typically used in real estate to transfer property. The deed may involve the cooperation of three parties, including the borrower, the lender, and the trustee for the property. Personal information about these parties will also be included on the form.

This type of deed may be used instead of a mortgage in order to transfer property and initiate financing. It can also be used to complete loans for things other than property. Because a deed of trust deals with monetary aspects, it is important to include as much information as possible about payments and due dates.

A deed of trust may be a legally binding contract, so it should be accurate and professional. Legal counsel from an experienced law firm can help you set up a deed of trust for your personal transaction to ensure that all parties involved are protected in case of a dispute.

The Basics

In the world of real estate, a deed of trust is a legally-binding form that transfers the legal title for the property to a trustee, or neutral third party. The trustee then holds the deed of trust as security, or as a form of promissory note for the repayment of the loan. The borrower of the money, likely the person currently living in or using the property, maintains an equitable title. This is the right to obtain full ownership of the property, generally by full repayment of the loan. While the borrower’s equitable title gives them current physical usage of the property, the completed deed of trust template means that the trustee will hold full legal ownership of the property until the terms and conditions of the agreement are met.

If you use a deed of trust form online, it’s important to understand what the form does and does not entail. Once the deed of trust template is executed, with the borrower holding the equitable title and the trustee holding the legal title, an escrow holder almost always comes into play. The escrow holder generally keeps all of the documents in one place for the transaction, including any funds, the grand deed and the trust deed. This is to ensure that the title transfer and borrowing process will be completed only if or when both parties complete their respective parts of the deal.

When using a deed of trust form, many people wonder what the actual differences are between a deed of trust and a traditional mortgage. In fact, the deed of trust template is often confused and used interchangeably with the standard home loan process. So what, exactly, is the difference between the two? A deed of trust will always involve three parties – the buyer, the seller and a third, neutral party to ensure completion of the real estate contract. In most mortgages, the lender or mortgagor gives the legal title directly to the mortgagee. In both cases, the title the borrower holds will only be an equitable title until they are able to complete the terms and conditions of the legal agreement.

For those conducting their own real estate transactions, a deed of trust form can be found online, executed and filed with the county recorder or county clerk at the location of the property. Filing with the county clerk or county recorder is important. This filing acts as notice to any interested parties that the property is in the process of being purchased via a deed of trust.

Although the deed of trust template can technically be used in most states, it is actually the most common tool for financing real estate in several states. According to state law, California, Colorado, the District of Columbia, Alaska, Arizona, Idaho, Maryland, Mississippi, Montana, Missouri, North Carolina, Nevada, Nebraska, Tennessee, Oregon, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, Washington and Virginia all allow the use of a deed of trust. In these states, deed of trust templates can be used for other types of loans and contracts wherein real estate is used as collateral.

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