Register of Deeds FAQ

Q. Where is the Court House located?

A.  Our street address is 437 E. Division St., Cadillac, MI  49601.  Our office is located on the 2nd floor of the historical portion of the Court House.  From Cadillac’s downtown (Mitchell St.) turn east on Harris St., travel four blocks up the street, we are located on the north (left) side of the street.  Parking and the main entrance are at the back of the building.

Q.  Can you give me the forms I need to use, prepare my document, or give me advice on how to fill out my document?

A.  Yes, the Register of Deeds, does have fill-in-the-blank forms for quit claim deeds, warranty deeds, mineral deeds, and non-construction liens.  The charge for these blank forms is $5.00.  Black ink must be used to meet statute requirements and forms must be typed or printed neatly.  We do not prepare any legal documents, nor do we give legal advice.  We recommend that you obtain legal counsel to prepare a deed.

Q.  Do I need to have an original document to record?

A.  Yes, we must have the original document with original signatures.  State statues do not allow us to record a copy.

Q.  Can I mail my documents in to be recorded?

A.  Yes, documents may be mailed in.  Please mail us the documents to be recorded, the appropriate recording fees and a self-addressed stamped envelope, to aid us in returning them to you.

Q.  How can I take someone’s name off my deed or add someone’s name to my deed?

A.  It is strongly recommended that you obtain legal counsel to prepare your deed.  After it is prepared you or your attorney will bring the deed to our office for recording.  There are many questions you will want to ask your attorney when you are thinking about adding someone to your deed.  Such as, if I add my son and daughter-in-law’s name on my deed, what if they get a divorce?  If I add my children’s name to my deed, and I need to borrow money, will this be a problem?  Will it uncap my taxes?  Is it ok to put a minor’s name on my deed?  Will this new deed help me to avoid probate?  What if I later decide to sell my property?  Also, it is important how the deed is worded, you need to know the differences between, “Tenants in Common”, “Joint Tenants”, and “Tenants by the Entireties”.  Please talk with an attorney before you make any changes to your deed.

Q.  My spouse passed away and our property is in both of our names, what do I do?  Will I receive a new deed with just my name on it?

A.  Bring in a certified death certificate along with the appropriate recording fees for us to record it.  This will show that the deceased person no longer has an interest in the property.  You will not receive a new deed, we are only a recording office.  Your original deed is still your deed to your property.

Q.  Who can get a copy of my deed, mortgage, lien, etc.?

A.  Anyone, once a document is recorded, it becomes public record.  There is a charge of $1.00 per page for each copy.

Q.  How far back do your records go and how are the records kept in your office?

A.  We have records from current back to 1864.  Wexford County was established in 1911.  Our records in the office are in books, microfiche & scanned images.  From 1965 to present, the records have been scanned and indexed into our computer system for viewing.  We are striving to get more records scanned and into our computer system.  This is an ongoing project.  Our records are also stored on archivable microfilm and are kept in deep underground storage for preservation.

Q.  Can you e-mail or fax me a copy of a recorded document?

A.  No, we do not email documents.  Yes, we can fax prepaid documents.

Q.  How do I find out who owns a certain property?

A.  If you do not know the property owner’s name, but have the address, you may contact the County Equalization Department, or the assessor for the city, township, or village in which the property is located.  These offices will provide you with the name(s) that appears on the tax roll which may or may not be the owner(s).  With the name, you can search our office for any recorded information.

Q.  How do I search for a deed, mortgage, etc.?

A.  You need a grantor or grantee name to search for any land record information and you should have the approximate year to search.  Our staff will gladly show you how to begin searching.

Q.  Why record documents?

A.  A public document gives notice concerning ownership of and encumbrances against real property and can be located by all creditors, subsequent purchasers, and others with an economic interest in the property.  The County Register’s Office is the official caretaker of the land records in each county.

Q.  When I pay off my mortgage, do I get a new deed?

A.  No, when you pay off your mortgage, you should receive a Discharge or Release or Satisfaction of Mortgage from your Lender.  You do not receive a deed at this time because you get your deed when you first purchase the property.  If you do not have your deed, then you can get a recorded copy of it at our office.  Copy fees will apply.

Q.  When was my house built?

A.  We can’t answer that.  We only deal with land records.

Q.  Do you have a survey of my property?

A.  Only if it has been surveyed and recorded.  We do not have mortgage surveys.

If you have any additional questions, please feel free to call the Register of Deeds office at (231) 779-9455.

Disclaimer:

This website was created by the Wexford County Register of Deeds Office as a public service.  All information on this site is intended to be accurate, complete and timely; however, Wexford County and the Wexford County Register of Deeds do not warrant the accuracy of the information contained herein nor is it repsonsible for any errors or omissions and assumes no liability for its use.  While the information on this site may be about legal issues, it is not legal advice.