How can a West Des Moines real estate lawyer help with your closing?
Selling a home in West Des Moines, or buying with cash or on contract? Danilson Law handles the legal side from offer to recorded deed: purchase agreements, seller transactions, cash and contract closings, deeds, and title opinions. We work only on Iowa residential real estate and do not handle mortgage-lender closings. Start with a free 15-minute discovery call with attorney Jeremy Danilson; we quote a flat fee before any work starts.
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Danilson Law, PLC
We meet West Des Moines clients by phone, by video, or at our Johnston office.
What do we handle for West Des Moines buyers and sellers?
We cover the legal work to sell a West Des Moines home, or buy one without a lender: seller support, purchase agreement review, cash and contract closings, quit claim deeds, adding someone to a deed, and title opinions. If your question is outside a real estate transaction, we'll tell you up front.
- {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 county records your West Des Moines deed?
It depends on the parcel. West Des Moines sits in four counties: Polk, Dallas, Warren, and Madison. Your deed or contract records with the county where the land sits, not the city. The Declaration of Value is filed with that county's recorder, and taxes go to that county's treasurer. We confirm the county from the legal description before anything is signed.
Polk
Recorder: Polk County Recorder, 111 Court Ave., Suite 250, Des Moines
Assessor / Treasurer: Assessor · Treasurer
Dallas
Recorder: Dallas County Recorder, 800 Court St., Suite 130, Adel
Assessor / Treasurer: Assessor · Treasurer
Warren
Recorder: Warren County Recorder, 301 N. Buxton St., Indianola
Assessor / Treasurer: County offices
Madison
Recorder: Madison County Recorder, 201 W. Court, Winterset
Assessor / Treasurer: County offices
Why does the county matter for your taxes?
West Des Moines spans four counties and six school districts, with nine different total property tax rates. That matters for tax prorations at closing, so we pull figures from the right county treasurer.
What else gets filed with a West Des Moines 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.
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. Some transfers are exempt, such as transfers between spouses or to children, estate transfers, and systems installed in the last two years. If weather delays the inspection, the buyer can sign a binding agreement with the county board of health to have it done later. See the Iowa DNR time-of-transfer page.
Does West Des Moines have its own rules when you sell?
Yes, if the home is a rental. West Des Moines requires a rental inspection certificate for any dwelling that's rented, and the city aims to inspect rentals every two years (WDM City Code 8-2A-16). When a rental changes hands, the new owner has five calendar days to give the Building Division its contact information or the certificate becomes void, and the prior owner must disclose that requirement to the new owner. If you're selling a rental, we build that disclosure into your paperwork.
What if you sell a West Des Moines home on contract?
Two rules stack up. 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.
If you sell a West Des Moines home on contract and don't live there yourself, the city may treat it as a rental until the sale is recorded. The owner must record the contract and give the city written proof the home isn't a rental, and the buyer having a homestead exemption counts toward that (WDM City Code 8-2A-16). We draft the contract, record it, and cover the city side.
How far is our office from West Des Moines, and do you have to come in?
Our office at 6165 NW 86th St. in Johnston is about 15 minutes from most of West Des Moines. You don't have to come in. Take the discovery call by phone and sign through remote online notarization or at a scheduled signing. We do not have a West Des Moines office.
West Des Moines runs from historic Valley Junction, a railroad town founded in 1893, to newer development around Jordan Creek and Mills Civic Parkway, near I-35 and I-80.
West Des Moines real estate FAQs
No. We close cash and installment-contract sales only. If your buyer has a lender, we can still represent you as the seller.
The steps are the same, but the offices change. Your deed records in Adel, the Declaration of Value is filed there too, and taxes are prorated from Dallas County figures. We confirm the county from your legal description at the start.
City code says the prior owner must disclose that the new owner has five calendar days to give the Building Division its contact information, or the rental certificate becomes void. Tell us early so the disclosure lands in your purchase agreement and closing documents.
Yes. You still need a solid purchase agreement, a title update, a deed that records cleanly, and someone to run the closing. We handle that legal work for a flat fee quoted up front.
No. You can sign through remote online notarization or at a scheduled signing. We'll suggest the right option on your discovery call.
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 West Des Moines 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.