Recording is the act of placing deeds, mortgages, and related documents into the public property record.
Recording is the act of placing deeds, mortgages, and related real-estate documents into the public property record.
Recording matters because ownership and lien changes are not just private agreements. They need to be documented in a way that becomes part of the official property record.
It also matters because borrowers often think the transaction is fully complete at the moment documents are signed. In practice, the legal and public-record side of the transfer also matters to how ownership and mortgage rights are recognized.
Borrowers usually hear about recording at the end of the closing process, after the deed and mortgage documents have been signed.
The concept remains important after Closing because recorded documents help establish the public trail of ownership and claims affecting the property.
After the closing documents are signed, the deed and mortgage-related documents are sent for recording so the public record reflects the new ownership and lender interest.
Recording differs from a Deed because the deed is the document used to transfer ownership, while recording is the act of entering that document into the public record.
It also differs from Chain of Title. Recording creates or updates the public trail, while the chain of title is the historical sequence that results from those recorded ownership events.