D.C. & Maryland Deeds Attorney F.A.Q. 🏠

Table of Contents

1. What Is A D.C. and Maryland Deeds Attorney?
2. Do I Have To Hire a D.C. and Maryland Deeds Attorney To Prepare and File a Deed In Maryland or D.C.
3. Why Should I Hire a D.C. and Maryland Deeds Attorney When I Can Prepare The Deed Myself?
4. What’s The Process For Retaining and Working With a D.C. and Maryland Deeds Attorney?
5. How Much Does a D.C. and Maryland Deeds Attorney Cost?
6. What Should I Look For When Deciding To Choose a D.C. or Maryland Deeds Attorney?
7. Is There a D.C. or Maryland Deeds Attorney I Can Contact If I Have Any More Questions?

What Is A D.C. and Maryland Deeds Attorney?

A D.C. and Maryland Deeds attorney is an attorney that is licensed to practice law in both the District of Columbia and Maryland and prepares and files deeds on behalf of their clients, such as our very own Brian Pendergraft. The purpose of this post is to answer frequently asked questions regarding deeds in both Maryland and the District of Columbia. Click the question in the table of contests that you’re interested in to skip straight to the answer, or just read the entire post.

Do I Have To Hire a D.C. and Maryland Deeds Attorney To Prepare and File a Deed In Maryland or D.C.?

No you do not. A D.C. and Maryland Deeds Attorney such as Brian Pendergraft is NOT required to draft and record a deed in Maryland or the District of Columbia. The grantor or grantee are free to draft and record the deed themselves. However, if you do decide to hire someone to work on your behalf then you can only hire an attorney to prepare the deed, because it is the practice of law.

Why Should I Hire a D.C. and Maryland Deeds Attorney When I Can Prepare The Deed Myself?

The same reason I hired an HVAC Contractor to install my new Air Conditioning. I could have saved a lot of money by purchasing the A.C. and installing it myself, but my time is better spent doing what I was born to do, which is lawyering. Also there is a greater chance that I would have installed the A.C. wrong. An incorrectly drafted deed can create title issues that could potentially cost tens of thousands of dollars to fix down the line after a problem is discovered. So I think it’s best to hire someone that is experienced with drafting and filing deeds.

How Long Does It Take For a D.C. and Maryland Deeds Attorney To Draft and Record a Deed In Maryland?

Maryland and D.C. Deeds Attorney Brian Pendergraft is lightning fast and can draft a deed in 48 hours. Unfortunately, the recorders at the office of Land Records cannot keep up with his maniacal pace. For simple deeds that are exempt from taxes, the recordation process can take two weeks. In the longest cases the recordation process hasn’t taken my firm more than 90 days.

What’s The Process For Retaining and Working With a D.C. and Maryland Deeds Attorney?

Every law firm is different so we can only answer how we do it at The Pendergraft Firm. But here is our process that can be done entirely from your home.

1. Step One: Potential client completes our confidential deed questionnaire. The questionnaire asks pertinent questions such as whether or not the property is being gifted or sold, the relationship between the parties (spouses, siblings, grand-children, no familial relationship, etc.)
2. Step Two: Our attorney reviews the questionnaire and analyzes it based on State and local laws to calculate transfer taxes and to see if it qualifies for any exemptions from local or State transfer and recordation taxes.
3. Step Three: We send you a quote for our attorneys fees and for the transfer taxes (if any). If you approve of the quote we then send you an electronic retainer agreement for your review and signature.
4. Step Four: Then we ask you for any additional information we may need and prepare the first draft of the deed. First draft of the deed is usually done within 24 hours, then we e-mail it to you for your review.
5. Step Five: If you do not approve of the deed, let us know and we’ll make revisions and prepare a second draft. If you approve of the deed, then you can get it notarized and mail it back to us along with a check for transfer taxes (if there are any).
6. Step Six: We file the deed either electronically or send it to the local tax office depending on the situation.
7. Step Seven: We wait until the deed is processed by the local tax office. Hopefully it’s approved but sometimes there can be an error. For example if there are taxes due on the property then Land Records will refuse to let us record the deed until they are paid. Once it’s been approved we’ll drop it off at land records to be recorded.

How Much Does a D.C. and Maryland Deeds Attorney Cost?

Here at the Pendergraft Firm our deeds attorney charges a flat-rate to draft and file deeds. However the cost will vary from deed to deed depending on local transfer taxes and exemptions. For example Prince George’s County has a local transfer tax of 1.4% (if no exemptions apply), while Caroll County charges none. The Counties also have different exemptions. For example, some Counties exempt parent-child deed transfers while others do not. In Washington, D.C. it’s simplified because the same rules cover the entire jurisdiction, unlike Maryland. Nevertheless I will be unable to give you a cost without knowing your property details.

What Should I Look For When Choosing a D.C. or Maryland Deeds Attorney?

I recommend contacting a local real property attorney and not a general practitioner. A real estate attorney is more likely to be better at it. In the same manner a criminal law specialist is better at defending you in a criminal case than a real property attorney. Also, recorded deeds are public record so if you ask an attorney for a sample of their work they can show it to you. That said I would probably redact out my client’s personally identifiable info. if you were to ask me for a sample.

Is There a D.C. or Maryland Deeds Attorney I Can Contact If I Have Any More Questions?

Yes there is. Here is how to contact our very own D.C. and Maryland Deeds attorney Brian Pendergaft.