Land records · Parcel maps · October 7, 2026
How to Put a House in a Trust: Deed and Recording
How to put a house in a trust: sign a deed from you to yourself as trustee, record it, and confirm the mortgage, insurance, and homestead are handled.
How to put a house in a trust usually means transferring the home into a revocable living trust that you already created. Signing the trust document is not enough; the house is only in the trust once you sign and record a new deed transferring title from yourself to yourself as trustee. Many estate plans fail to avoid probate because this step was skipped. Once recorded, the trust owns the house, you keep control as trustee during your life, and the successor trustee can manage or transfer it after your death without probate. This page is general land-records background, not legal advice.
Steps to transfer the house
- Confirm the trust exists and note its exact name and date.
- Get the current deed for the legal description and how title is held.
- Prepare a new deed from you, as grantor, to you as trustee of the trust.
- Sign and notarize the deed, with witnesses if required.
- Complete any transfer tax forms and exemption claims.
- Record the deed with the county recorder. See how to record a deed.
- Notify the insurer and update the assessor if needed.
How the grantee is written
The grantee is usually written as “Jane Smith, Trustee of the Jane Smith Revocable Trust dated March 1, 2026,” rather than just the trust name. Some states allow conveyance to the trust by name, but naming the trustee avoids confusion. Married couples often deed to themselves as co-trustees of a joint trust.
The mortgage
Federal law generally prevents lenders from enforcing a due-on-sale clause when a borrower transfers a home to a living trust in which the borrower remains a beneficiary and occupant. It is still a good idea to tell the lender. Refinancing later may require the trustee to sign or the lender to review the trust.
Homestead and property taxes
In most states, a home held in a revocable trust still qualifies for homestead exemptions if the owner lives there and is a beneficiary, though some assessors ask for a form or a copy of trust pages. Transfers into a revocable trust usually do not trigger reassessment or transfer tax. See what is a homestead exemption.
Title insurance and homeowners insurance
Ask your title insurer whether your owner’s policy continues to cover the trust; many policies or endorsements do. Ask your homeowners insurer to add the trustee as a named insured so claims are not denied because the named owner changed.
Trust vs other probate-avoidance tools
| Tool | Notes |
|---|---|
| Revocable living trust | Covers many assets, private, needs funding |
| Transfer on death deed | Simple, covers one property, not available in every state |
| Joint tenancy | Co-owner gets rights immediately |
| Land trust | A different tool used mainly for privacy in some states |
After the owner dies
The successor trustee uses the trust document, a death certificate, and often a certification of trust to manage, sell, or distribute the house. If the house is distributed to beneficiaries, the trustee records a trustee’s deed to them.
Common mistakes
- Signing the trust but never recording a deed.
- Misnaming the trust or trustee on the deed.
- Forgetting property in other counties or states.
- Not updating insurance.
Bottom line
To put a house in a trust, sign and record a deed from yourself to yourself as trustee. The transfer usually does not trigger a due-on-sale demand, reassessment, or loss of homestead for a revocable trust, but confirm with your lender, assessor, and insurers. Without the recorded deed, the house is not in the trust. Find county recorders via the Platbookmapper map.
How to put a house in a trust FAQ
Do I need a new deed to put my house in a trust?
Yes, the trust owns the house only after a deed is recorded.
Will my mortgage be called if I move my house into a living trust?
Federal law generally protects this transfer for owner-occupants.
Do I keep my homestead exemption?
Usually yes for a revocable trust if you live there.
Who signs the deed?
You, as current owner, conveying to yourself as trustee.
What happens to the house when I die?
The successor trustee manages, sells, or distributes it under the trust.