Recording
Filing a deed, mortgage or other document with the county so it becomes public record. Recording gives notice of the new owner or lien and protects the buyer's claim against later ones.
Also called: recorded, record the deed, county recorder
Related terms
The signed legal document that transfers ownership from the seller to the buyer. It is recorded with the county after closing to make the transfer part of the public record.
A fee the county charges to record the deed, mortgage and other documents. It is usually small and set by the county, often by page or document.
The final step of a sale, when documents are signed, money changes hands, the deed is recorded and the buyer gets ownership. In some states everyone signs at a table; in others signing and funding happen separately.
The recorded history of every transfer of a property from one owner to the next. Gaps or errors in the chain can delay a sale until they are fixed.
A legal claim against a property that secures a debt, such as a mortgage, unpaid taxes or contractor bills. Liens generally must be paid off or released before the property can be sold with clear title.