Does Danilson Law handle real estate deals anywhere in Iowa?
Yes. We're a family-run Iowa real estate law firm in Johnston, and Iowa real estate is all we do. We welcome clients from all 99 Iowa counties, from small towns and family farms to every corner of the state. You don't need to make the trip to Johnston. We talk by phone or video, send documents electronically, and you can sign through remote online notarization.
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Danilson Law, PLC
We meet clients anywhere in Iowa by phone, by video, or at our Johnston office.
What do we handle anywhere in Iowa?
We handle Iowa real estate of all kinds, including residential, commercial, farm and development land, for sellers, cash and installment contract buyers, agents, investors and lenders. We write more than 1,500 title opinions a year for lenders as an Iowa Title Guaranty field issuer. If your buyer has a mortgage, we can still represent you as the seller. For loan closings, we partner with a local settlement agent.
- Sellers: seller transaction support and assured seller representation
- Cash buyers: assured buyer representation
- Contracts: purchase agreement support, including review before you sign
- Deeds: quit claim deeds and adding or removing someone on a deed
- Title opinions: more than 1,500 a year for lenders
- Installment contract (contract for deed) closings
- Agents and investors: support for real estate agents and investors
How does a closing work when you're not near Johnston?
You don't have to come to our office. We talk by phone or video, send documents electronically, and you can sign through remote online notarization.
The call
Your discovery call happens by phone or video. We learn the situation and quote a flat fee up front.
The paperwork
We prepare and review documents and send them to you electronically.
Signing
You can sign through remote online notarization from home, anywhere in the U.S., or with a notary near you. Jeremy Danilson is the firm's remote online notary. Remote notarization is accepted in all 99 Iowa counties, but lenders decide whether to accept it for their own loan documents.
Recording
The deed or contract is recorded with the recorder in the county where the land sits, not where you live. Every Iowa county recorder accepts electronic recording through the statewide Iowa Land Records system, and we e-record through Iowa Land Records, so we usually don't need to mail or drive originals.
What gets filed with an Iowa deed, wherever the property is?
- Most deeds and real estate contracts need a Declaration of Value, filed with the county recorder. Many tax-free transfers, like gifts between spouses or from parent to child, don't need one.
- You pay the state transfer tax to the county recorder when you record.
- When a Declaration of Value is needed, the seller files a groundwater hazard statement, or puts a "no known conditions" sentence on the first page of the deed if the property has no wells, septic system, burial site, underground tank or waste site.
- A home with 1 to 4 units on a private septic system must be inspected by a DNR-certified inspector before the deed or contract can be recorded, including when you sign a seller-financed contract.
- If you sell a home on contract, the seller must record the contract with the county recorder within 90 days of signing, or within 30 days for sellers who signed four or more home contracts in the past year.
We handle all of it for you, in any Iowa county.
We work with clients in every Iowa county
From Sioux City to Davenport and Decorah to Council Bluffs, we work with clients in all 99 Iowa counties, small towns and farms included. You can sign remotely, with no trip to Johnston needed, and we confirm the county from your legal description at the start.
We also have local guides for:
Our Johnston office
Danilson Law, PLC · 6165 NW 86th St., Johnston, IA 50131 · 515-512-5500. This is our only office. You're welcome to come in, but you don't have to. Book a Discovery Call or contact us.
Iowa real estate FAQs
No. Calls happen by phone or video, and you can sign through remote online notarization. Jeremy Danilson is the firm's remote online notary. Remote notarization is accepted in all 99 Iowa counties, but lenders decide whether to accept it for their own loan documents. Some clients like to come in, and that's fine too.
Yes. We record with the recorder in whatever county the land sits in. All 99 Iowa counties accept electronic recording through Iowa Land Records, and we e-record through Iowa Land Records.
We don't run lender closings; for loans, we write the title opinion (more than 1,500 a year for lenders, as an Iowa Title Guaranty field issuer) and partner with a local settlement agent who handles the closing. If your buyer has a lender, we can still represent you as the seller.
With the county recorder, along with the deed or contract, when it's recorded. We prepare and file it for you.
We quote a flat fee up front, after a short discovery call. Book a Discovery Call.
No. Our only office is in Johnston. We work with clients all over Iowa remotely, so you can sign from home.
Three steps from hello to closing.
A discovery call is a free 15-minute call with attorney Jeremy Danilson. Here's what happens after you reach out.
Book your call
Pick a convenient time using the form above, or call 515-512-5500 any time, day or night. Claire, our AI assistant, answers every unscheduled call — she can answer common questions and book your discovery call on the spot, so you never hit voicemail. Attorney calls are always scheduled in advance, so when we talk, your file has our full attention.
We learn your situation
Tell attorney Jeremy Danilson about your transaction, whether you're buying, selling, investing, or something in between. We'll ask a few questions and answer yours, in plain English.
We quote your flat fee up front
If we're a good fit, we'll give you a single flat fee before any work begins. No hourly billing, no surprise invoices, no commitment until you're ready.
Ready to talk about your Iowa closing?
A free 15-minute call with Jeremy Danilson gets you a clear picture of your transaction and a flat fee before work begins. Claire, our AI assistant, answers calls day or night and can book it for you.
Prefer to write first? Use the form above. New inquiries get a reply within one business day.