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County of Los Angeles |
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Homeowner Notification
The Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder’s office sends you copies of documents recorded against your home. This gives you a chance to review the real estate documents to be sure they are legitimate. If you live in Los Angeles County, you will be mailed copies of documents that change ownership or show loans taken against your home.
Understanding the documents
When you receive a notification in the mail, it will include a yellow sheet that describes the mailing and a blue sheet that explains where to call for help. The notification also includes a copy of the document that was recorded. To find out the type of document that was recorded, find the white sheet that has the words, “WHEN RECORDED MAIL TO” in the top left-hand corner. The title of the document will be on that page.
Check the document to be sure that no changes were made after you signed it.
The documents you receive from the Registrar-Recorder’s office are copies. They are smaller than the originals. You will receive the originals at a later date.
Documents that change ownership
Adding or removing a name from title changes property ownership. Signing and recording one of the following documents will change ownership:
- A Grant Deed is used to transfer real property from one person or entity to another person or entity.
- A Quitclaim Deed releases any interest in real property (Grantor) and passes that interest to another person (Grantee).
A third document, a Deed of Trust, is recorded when a loan is taken against your property.
Home ownership is given to someone else
If you give full ownership of your property to someone else, you will be listed on the Grant Deed as the Grantor.
Check the signature to be sure that it is yours.
Part ownership is given to someone else
If you give only part ownership to someone else, you will be listed as both the Grantor and Grantee, along with the person you gave interest to. Your signature must appear on the document.
Being both a Grantor and a Grantee means that you have given part ownership of your property to someone else while remaining a part owner yourself.
When to call for help
You should contact us and speak with one of our counselors at the phone number below if any of the following happens:
- You did not give full or partial ownership of your home to someone else.
- Your signature was forged on the document.
- The document was changed after you signed it.
- The document contains an incorrect property description.
- The documents are incomplete or unreadable.
- The documents have been sent to you in error.
Contact us for more information or speak with one of our counselors at (800) 973-3370. If you live outside of Southern California, call us at (213) 974-1450.
Updated March 16, 2011
For more information:
County of Los Angeles Department of Consumer Affairs
B-96 Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration
500 W. Temple Street *
Los Angeles, CA 90012-2706
Telephone (800) 593-8222 (within LA County)
web site: dca.lacounty.gov