Changing names on a warranty deed is done for several different reasons, which include granting a property as a gift to a family member, both parties living in the property now have the same last name because they got married, or power of attorney has been bestowed upon a certain member of a given family. If you desire to change the name on a deed, you can do it very easily. The names of the people on the warranty deed are considered the official owners of the property. Once the name and information of a new party is on the warranty deed, ownership is now transferred over to the new party, and the new person is now the owner of record, once the deed is recorded at the local county courthouse.
Gather all of the necessary documentation. Find the original deed, and any forms that you will need to change the name on the deed such as a marriage license, power of attorney form, record of birth, or other type of paperwork. Make copies of each form, just in case you ever lose a document, and store it in a protected location such as a safe that only you and your trusted family members know how to open.
Find a title company in your area by going to a website such as Fidelity National Title Insurance Company (see References). If you know of anyone that has used a good company whom they would recommend, ask who they used. Let the title company know the reason why you want to change the name on the warranty deed, and they will walk you through the entire process, as they are accustomed to doing this type of activity on a routine basis.
Submit the required paperwork. The title company will need a number of different forms completed, which will vary depending upon your reason for the name change. The name on the title can be changed with a new general warranty deed form with the name of the new person on the title, the address of the property and the signatures of each party on the deed. Be sure that the signing of the form is conducted in the presence of two witnesses, and that the new warranty deed is recorded in your local county courthouse.
