how to add wife's name to house title or deed

[visao 1]

Hi all:

Would like to know how to add my wife's name to the house title (deed). Do I go to Title company or County Office? How much are fees? House is paid-off. Thanks for any advice/info-

[desert_fox 32]

Hi all:

Would like to know how to add my wife's name to the house title (deed). Do I go to Title company or County Office? How much are fees? House is paid-off. Thanks for any advice/info-

My advice is D'ONT. Keep it as your separate property.

Write a will if you want her to have title to it one day.

[ARodrigues 0]

Depending on the state you live in, it may not be necessary. She may have interest automatically as your spouse.

If, however, you really just want to see the name there, you need a quit claim deed. This says YOU are transferring interest of the house to YOU AND HER. You'll pay the fee to record with your local clerk of the court. It's a very easy document to make yourself, it will need to be notarized. If you aren't comfortable, any title company or paralegal service can do it.

[visao 1]

Hi all:

Would like to know how to add my wife's name to the house title (deed). Do I go to Title company or County Office? How much are fees? House is paid-off. Thanks for any advice/info-

My advice is D'ONT. Keep it as your separate property.

Write a will if you want her to have title to it one day.

I'm doing it so we can have joint ownership to show evidence to USCIS in case if we have any interviews for 2 yrs GC or 10 yrs GC. Since we don't rent, there's no lease for us to sign. I sure will have other joint ownerships: bank accounts, car title, ultilities, ect...But is it a requirement to have joint ownership of the house or not? Thanks-

[payxibka 10,047]

Hi all:

Would like to know how to add my wife's name to the house title (deed). Do I go to Title company or County Office? How much are fees? House is paid-off. Thanks for any advice/info-

My advice is D'ONT. Keep it as your separate property.

Write a will if you want her to have title to it one day.

I'm doing it so we can have joint ownership to show evidence to USCIS in case if we have any interviews for 2 yrs GC or 10 yrs GC. Since we don't rent, there's no lease for us to sign. I sure will have other joint ownerships: bank accounts, car title, ultilities, ect...But is it a requirement to have joint ownership of the house or not? Thanks-

Joint property ownership is only one of many ways to show a "comingling" of your lives... So no.. it is not REQUIRED.

[amiquechu 0]

Hi all:

Would like to know how to add my wife's name to the house title (deed). Do I go to Title company or County Office? How much are fees? House is paid-off. Thanks for any advice/info-

My advice is D'ONT. Keep it as your separate property.

Write a will if you want her to have title to it one day.

I'm doing it so we can have joint ownership to show evidence to USCIS in case if we have any interviews for 2 yrs GC or 10 yrs GC. Since we don't rent, there's no lease for us to sign. I sure will have other joint ownerships: bank accounts, car title, ultilities, ect...But is it a requirement to have joint ownership of the house or not? Thanks-

Joint property ownership is only one of many ways to show a "comingling" of your lives... So no.. it is not REQUIRED.

from my experience and what i've heard, what you've done so far to show joint ownership will be more than enough for your interview(s).

Edited June 17, 2008 by SKTEAMO

[desert_fox 32]

It's not required for AOS interview...your separate property is just that...dont comingle.

There is no law that sez that your wife has to be on the title, and it is not granted automatically by some state, especially if it was in your name before marriage. Be careful with this, or some day you may end up without your house depending on what the future holds for you.

Do not sign a quit claim deed. It means that you have given up any claim to the title.;l

[Ban Hammer 13,624]

Hi all:

Would like to know how to add my wife's name to the house title (deed). Do I go to Title company or County Office? How much are fees? House is paid-off. Thanks for any advice/info-

you can add her name to the loan, but in most cases that requires a refinance. i passed on that and went another route.

you could check with the local courthouse and in most cases do a transfer on death deed, or whatever it is called in your state, to insure that she gets the house in the event of your passing.

just a thought - have a life insurance policy to pay off the house just in case.

[ARodrigues 0]

If you are only doing it for USCIS, I wouldn't bother.

desert fox, you are incorrect, perhaps because you misunderstood me. I am a real estate paralegal. Some states, including mine (Florida) consider a spouse to own half of the interest of the primary residence whether it was owned before the marriage and whether the name is physically on the title or not.

That means even if your title says, John Doe, a single man and you bought it years ago, the second you marry and move your new wife in, she owns half the house. Think I'm wrong? Try to sell it.. It happens all the time. I have had to track down estranged husbands and wives probably 100 times to sign off on a deed because the people never legally divorced.

[visao 1]

Hi all:

Would like to know how to add my wife's name to the house title (deed). Do I go to Title company or County Office? How much are fees? House is paid-off. Thanks for any advice/info-

you can add her name to the loan, but in most cases that requires a refinance. i passed on that and went another route.

you could check with the local courthouse and in most cases do a transfer on death deed, or whatever it is called in your state, to insure that she gets the house in the event of your passing.

just a thought - have a life insurance policy to pay off the house just in case.

My house is already PAID! Thanks-

[Fandango 1,440]

If you are only doing it for USCIS, I wouldn't bother.

desert fox, you are incorrect, perhaps because you misunderstood me. I am a real estate paralegal. Some states, including mine (Florida) consider a spouse to own half of the interest of the primary residence whether it was owned before the marriage and whether the name is physically on the title or not.

That means even if your title says, John Doe, a single man and you bought it years ago, the second you marry and move your new wife in, she owns half the house. Think I'm wrong? Try to sell it.. It happens all the time. I have had to track down estranged husbands and wives probably 100 times to sign off on a deed because the people never legally divorced.

Well, yes and no.

The spouse needs to sign off on the sale if the spouse lives in the property for X years. That doesn't mean that the spouse automatically owns half.

ETA: talkin bout FL here...

Edited June 18, 2008 by Happy Bunny