Register of Deeds Office

Frequently Asked Questions
 
Do you furnish abstracts/titles to property?  NO.

Can I get forms at your office? No, you may obtain your forms from an office supply store.

What payment methods do you accept? Cash and Check.  We do not accept credit or debit cards.

Do you have standard document requirements? Yes.  See Document Requirements Page.

What information is needed to do a search? A search may be done by: name, tax code, or legal description (obtain from Equalization Department or local township).

Is there a fee to search records by Grantor (seller)/Grantee (buyer)? No, grantee (buyer)/grantor (seller) searches are free.

What is a tract index search? A search done by the legal description.

Is there a fee to search property other than my own? No.

Do you do County News searches? We do not do the searches for you.  However, you may use our records for your inquiries.

How long have you been keeping your records on computer?  Our records since 1989 are complete.  Records between 1965 - 1989 are in the process of being added and are not complete.

When was my house built? We cannot answer that.  We only deal with land records.  Check with either your township, the State Archives, or the Building Inspector's Office.

Where do I go to get a new address assigned? See the Addressing Page for the Building Inspector's Office, for more information.

Are there notaries on your staff? Yes, for the purposes of document recording.

When do your records begin? Newaygo County Register of Deeds records date back to 1800's.

Can you give me a copy to the deed for my house? NO, deeds are only for the land, not the structures that sit on the land.

Do you know my lot dimensions? If it is a recorded subdivision or recorded site condominium.

Do you have a survey of my property? Only if it has been surveyed and recorded.

Do you have or record mortgage surveys? NO.

Do you require a SASE (self-addressed stamped) envelope? We require a self-addressed stamped envelope for everything that comes through our office.

Is there a limit of documents we can send you with 1 check? NO.

Can I record a fax or copy of a document? No, only documents with original signatures can be recorded.

Can I bill my recording fees? Recording Fees are due and payable at time of recording.  They cannot be billed.

Can I record a TRUE COPY court document? NO, court documents must be certified to be recorded.  This applies to Death Certificates, as well.

Can you fax me a copy of a recorded document? Only if you have a current account, in good standing, with us otherwise we must have the money before we may mail or fax the document to you.

When are Sheriff's Deeds recorded? A Sheriff's Deed is recorded 2ithin 20 days from the date of sale.  Prior to recording, contact Ray or Myrna Brenner at (231)652-7674 for sale information.

What is transfer tax? Tax paid by the seller of the property on the amount of money the property sold for.  See example below.

How much is transfer tax? There is a county transfer tax fee of $1.10 per thousand dollar transaction.  The state transfer tax fee is $7.50 per thousand dollar transaction.

Are there any transfer tax exemptions? Yes, contact our office for details, 231-689-7246.

What if my property is located in more than one county? The document must be recorded in each county.  The Transfer Tax is pro-rated and paid to each county.

How do I get to the Register of Deeds office? We are located in White Cloud, Michigan in the red roofed Administration Building.
 

 1087 E Newell, PO Box 885   White Cloud, Michigan 49349
Phone: (231) 689-7246    Fax: (231) 689-7271
 email: Linda@co.newaygo.mi.us