Need a real estate lawyer in Ankeny, Iowa?
If you're selling a house in Ankeny, or buying one with cash or on a real estate contract, we can run the legal side for you. That means reviewing the purchase agreement, preparing the deed, clearing title questions, and closing the sale so the deed records cleanly with Polk County. We don't close loans for mortgage lenders, and we only work on Iowa real estate. The first step is a free 15-minute call with attorney Jeremy Danilson, and you'll know the flat fee before we start.
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Danilson Law, PLC
Ankeny clients usually work with us by phone or video, and you're welcome at our Johnston office.
What can we take off your plate on an Ankeny sale or cash purchase?
For Ankeny sellers, that's seller-side transaction support from offer through closing. For buyers paying cash or buying on contract, we review the deal and close it. We also prepare quit claim deeds, add a spouse or family member to a deed, and write title opinions. A direct-sale seller who found a buyer without an agent gets the same full process.
Ankeny grew from 27,117 residents in the 2000 census to 76,207 in the city's 2024 special census. On a newer Ankeny lot, our title opinion covers the recorded plat and any covenants that came with it.
- {IC_CK} Seller transaction support
- {IC_CK} Purchase agreement support
- {IC_CK} How to add someone to a deed in Iowa
- {IC_CK} Iowa title opinion vs. title search
Which Polk County offices handle your Ankeny deed and taxes?
All of Ankeny is in Polk County, so one set of county offices handles every Ankeny parcel. Your deed or contract records with the Polk County Recorder in downtown Des Moines. The Declaration of Value is filed with the Polk County Recorder along with the deed or contract, and your property taxes are paid to the Polk County Treasurer. When we prorate taxes at closing, we work from the Treasurer's figures for your parcel.
Polk
Recorder: Polk County Recorder, 111 Court Ave., Suite 250, Des Moines
Assessor: Polk County Assessor, 111 Court Ave., Room 195, Des Moines
Treasurer: Polk County Treasurer, 111 Court Ave., Room 154, Des Moines
What shows up on an Ankeny property tax bill?
The Polk County Auditor's taxpayer statement covers the proposed levies for the city, the county, and the school district, and the city lists the Ankeny Community School District among its property tax resources. That bill drives the tax proration at closing, so we check it before any number goes on the settlement statement.
Which state filings come with an Ankeny deed?
Most Iowa deeds and real estate contracts need a Declaration of Value, and you pay the state transfer tax to the county recorder when you record. Many tax-free transfers, like gifts between spouses or from parent to child, don't need a Declaration of Value. Some do, though, including real estate contracts. See the Iowa Legislature's transfer tax chapter.
When a transfer needs a Declaration of Value, the seller must also file a groundwater hazard statement. If the property has no wells, septic system, burial site, underground tank or waste site, the seller can instead put a "no known conditions" sentence on the first page of the deed. Without it, the recorder will refuse to record the document.
Septic only matters if the home isn't on city sewer. If a home with 1 to 4 units uses a private septic system, a DNR-certified inspector must inspect it before the deed or contract can be recorded, and that includes when you sign a seller-financed contract. See the Iowa DNR time-of-transfer page.
Does Ankeny have its own rules when you sell a rental?
Yes. Ankeny requires every rental unit in the city to be registered with the city and inspected, with regular inspections every two years for single-family homes, duplexes, and apartments. The rules sit in the city's Property Maintenance and Housing Code, Ankeny City Code Chapter 177, adopted by Ordinance 2219 and in effect since July 1, 2025.
The city asks owners to report a change in ownership or status to its rental housing staff at rentalhousing@ankenyiowa.gov (City of Ankeny, Rental Housing). When an Ankeny rental is sold, the seller must notify the city in writing within seven days and give the new owner's contact information. A valid rental certificate carries over to the new owner if the property stays up to code (Ankeny City Code 177.07). Selling an Ankeny rental, or have a buyer who plans to rent? Tell us early, and we'll put the city notice on the closing checklist.
What if you sell your Ankeny home on a real estate contract?
In Iowa, the seller must record a contract for the sale of a home with the county recorder within 90 days of signing, or within 30 days for sellers who have signed four or more home contracts in the past year. Late recording can bring a fine of up to $100 a day, and the seller can't start a forfeiture until the contract is recorded. See the Iowa Legislature's installment contract recording rules. For an Ankeny home, that means the Polk County Recorder. We draft the contract, get it signed, and record it for you.
How far is our Johnston office from Ankeny, and do you need to come in?
Our office at 6165 NW 86th St. in Johnston is about 22 minutes from most of Ankeny. Most of the work happens by phone, email, and video, so you don't have to come in. When it's time to sign, you can use remote online notarization or a scheduled signing. We do not have an Ankeny office.
Ankeny was founded as a farm town in 1875 along what became the narrow gauge railroad to Ames. Today it runs from the Uptown business district and the High Trestle Trail Experience Park, stretching from West First Street to the South Ankeny Boulevard underpass, to the John Deere Des Moines Works, on the site of a 1942 ordnance plant.
Ankeny real estate FAQs
Yes. The U.S. Census Bureau lists Ankeny entirely within Polk County. Your deed or contract records with the Polk County Recorder at 111 Court Ave. in Des Moines, the Declaration of Value is filed with the recorder along with the deed or contract, and taxes are prorated from Polk County Treasurer figures. We still confirm the parcel from your legal description first.
Ankeny registers and inspects rental units. When an Ankeny rental is sold, the seller must notify the city in writing within seven days and give the new owner's contact information. The city also asks owners to report a change in ownership to rentalhousing@ankenyiowa.gov. Let us know the home is rented when you call. We'll add the city notice to your closing checklist and make sure your buyer knows to expect the city's registration and inspection cycle if they keep renting it.
Yes, on your side as the seller. We review the purchase agreement, prepare your deed, and work with the buyer's lender and closing agent. What we don't do is close the loan for the lender. Buyer closings we handle ourselves are cash or installment-contract deals only.
Only through taxes. Your bill includes the school district levy along with the city and Polk County levies. We prorate from the Polk County Treasurer's figures, so the school levy is already built into the number at closing.
No. You can sign through remote online notarization or at a scheduled signing, and we handle recording with the Polk County Recorder.
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 Ankeny closing?
Book a free 15-minute call with Jeremy Danilson. You'll get a plain-English read on your sale or purchase and a flat fee before any work starts. Claire, our AI assistant, answers calls day or night and can set up the call.
Prefer to write first? Use the form above. New inquiries get a reply within one business day.