Self Prepared Deeds Are Rarely A Good Idea

The Illinois Supreme Court has recognized that the preparation of a deed is considered the practice of law.  This means that non-attorneys are barred from preparing deeds on behalf of anyone other than themselves. Just because the law allows you to prepare a deed for your own property, it is rarely a good idea to record such a document without the assistance and counsel of a good real estate and estate planning attorney.

There are many deed forms available online, including some that are provided by the county government.  We would strongly encourage you against filling out and recording one of these forms yourself if you have little or no prior experience doing so.  Why, you ask?  There are many potential problems, just a few of which are discussed below.

The person transferring title is known in legal parlance as the grantor.  The person receiving title is known as the grantee.  The name of the grantor on any new deed must exactly match the name of the grantee on the last deed of record.  If the name of the grantor is listed incorrectly, you can create a title defect which may not be correctable in the future because the person signing the deed has died, become incompetent or is otherwise unavailable.

There are potential income tax consequences for transferring real estate.  It may create a capital gain for the grantor or a taxable gift to the grantee.  Also, any transfer of title that is not approved by a mortgage lender might or could be considered a violation of a due on sale clause and trigger a foreclosure.

What if one of the people in title has passed away?  What needs to be done to reflect the death on the public land records to keep the chain of title clean and insurable?  Will the grantor be giving a warranty of title or just transferring (quit claiming) whatever interest, if any, they may have in the real estate? These are all complex questions.  Feel free to contact us if you have any questions about how to prepare a deed or how to properly transfer any interest in real estate.

Request Your Free Initial Consultation

* All indicated fields must be completed.
Please include non-medical questions and correspondence only.

Visit Our Offices

LIBERTYVILLE

Monday to Friday: 8:30am - 5:00pm
Saturday & Sunday: Closed

WAUKEGAN

Waukegan office by appointment only.

Accessibility Toolbar

Scroll to Top