Any real estate lawyers? (house, transfer, deed)

[wonderd]

Hello All. Can some give advice what to do in the below situation?

My parent own a house which has my mothers/fathers and sisters name on it. My sister is moved out and married and my parents want her to sign off on her share of ownership. However she will not out of spite due to unrelated family issues. She never put any money into the house. Her name is on the deed because the bank needed another co signer and she had a job at the time so they accepted her. The house is paid off now.

How would my parents be able to get her off the deed if she is unwilling to sign off?

Appreciate any advice.

[Joe461]

I am NOT a lawyer. This is NOT legal advice.

Based on my experience, if the name is on the deed, you have few options. The deed is a legal record of ownership.

Once your parents placed your sister's name on the deed, she became one of the legal owners of that property. Barring a written agreement with specific terms of transfer, the only way to get the sister off the deed is for her to agree to do so. You cannot un-give something once the other person established ownership.

Your parents also cannot sell or transfer her share in the property without her consent.

In the event something happens to your parents, the estate will have issues transferring/selling the property without her cooperation and consent.

Family feuds are the worst. Have your parents do whatever they can to resolve the dispute with your sister and get her to agree to take her name off the deed. This will only create a bigger problem down the road.