The document guide is a reference to help the citizen understand the terminology and abbreviations used in Real Estate Documents. See the documents below for more information.
Definitions of Real Estate Terms
Abbreviations used prior to 2013
Starting January 1st, 2013 abbreviations are no longer being used.
All recording information is typed as it is presented on the document
Examples of "KEY IT AS YOU SEE IT"
Indexing Based on PRIA Best Practices (pdf)
Only key these symbols: @ & / - + # in party names
NEVER KEY: DEC, ESTATE, or TRUSTEE after party names
THE as first word in party name
JOHN DOE or JANE DOE
DOCUMENT NAMES |
WHAT IS INDEXED BY STAFF |
MUNICIPAL/GOVERNMENT NAME EXAMPLES - some will typically follow historical index: | |
Wisconsin Department of Revenue | WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE |
Dane County Sheriff | SHERIFF OF DANE COUNTY |
Wis Veterans Association | WIS VETERANS ASSOCIATION |
State of Wisconsin | WISCONSIN, STATE OF |
Dane County | DANE COUNTY |
Village of Deerfield | DEERFIELD, VILLAGE OF |
United States of America acting through the United States Department of Agriculture |
USA UNITED STATES OF AMERICA UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE |
United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin | UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF WISCONSIN |
United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Wisconsin | UNITED STATES ATTORNEYS OFFICE FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF WISCONSIN |
City of Madison Comptrollers Office | MADISON COMPTROLLERS OFFICE |
Town of Westport Assessors Office | WESTPORT ASSESSORS OFFICE |
Secretary of Veterans Affairs | SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS |
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development | SECRETARY OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT |
Common Council of the City of Madison | MADISON COMMON COUNCIL |
Common Council of the City of Stoughton | STOUGHTON COMMON COUNCIL |
Community Development Authority of the City of Madison | MADISON COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY |
City of Madison Parks Department | MADISON PARKS DEPARTMENT |
COMPANY/BUSINESS NAMES – only index current parties: | |
A.L. Grootemaat & Sons Incorporated | A L GROOTEMAAT & SONS INCORPORATED |
Associated Bank N A | ASSOCIATED BANK NA |
Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems Inc. (MERS) as nominee for Prime Lending | PRIME LENDING |
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, as Receiver of Washington Mutual Bank F/K/A Washington Mutual Bank FA |
WASHINGTON MUTUAL BANK |
U.S. Bank, National Association, Successor Trustee to Bank of America N.A. | US BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION |
U.S. Bank Trust National Association, as Trustee for CVI LCF Mortgage Loan Trust I-IV | US BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION |
Fannie Mae AKA Federal National Mortgage Association | FANNIE MAE FEDERAL NATIONAL MORTGAGE ASSOCIATION |
O’Kroley/646 LLC | OKROLEY/646 LLC |
Loan Depot.com | LOAN DEPOT COM or LOAN DEPOTCOM (a search will return both) |
Nationstar Mortgage LLC D/B/A (doing business as) Greenlight Loans | NATIONSTAR MORTGAGE LLC GREENLIGHT LOANS |
Home Savings Bank, a division of Home American Country Bank | HOME SAVINGS BANK HOME AMERICAN COUNTRY BANK |
Mickelson’s – Martin Post No. 313 of the American Legion | MICKELSONS–MARTIN POST NO 313 OF THE AMERICAN LEGION |
Mary Buckhammer, secretary for Western Title Searchers | WESTERN TITLE SEARCHERS |
Robert Jones & James Smith doing business as Smith & Jones Handymen | JONES, ROBERT SMITH, JAMES SMITH & JONES HANDYMEN |
JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association, successor in interest by purchase from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation as receiver of Washington Mutual Bank f/k/a Washington Mutual Bank FA | JPMORGAN CHASE BANK WASHINGTON MUTUAL BANK |
NAMES OF INDIVIDUALS - Key all forms of names including AKA & FKA: | |
Jason McKoy, attorney in fact for Melissa Groves | MCKOY, JASON GROVES, MELISSA |
Ann Benson Personal Representative for Dwight Jacobson | BENSON, ANN JACOBSON, DWIGHT |
Martin Jelinek, guardian of Samatha McKowsky | JELINEK, MARTIN MCKOWSKY, SAMATHA |
Dr. Steven Jones | JONES, STEVEN DR |
Phyllis Van Sustren | VAN SUSTREN, PHYLLIS |
TRUSTS - Key what is on the doc using last name first for all party names. Key in Trustee name(s) if listed. Do not include any dates. | |
John and Sandy Smith Revocable Trust #1 | SMITH, JOHN AND SANDY REVOCABLE TRUST #1 |
Mark R Hoffman and Jo Anne Boyce Hoffman Trustees of the Mark and Jo Anne Hoffmann Revocable Trust | HOFFMAN, MARK R Mark and Jo Anne Hoffmann Revocable Trust HOFFMAN, MARK AND JO ANNE REVOCABLE TRUST |
M + D Peters Revocable Living Trust | PETERS, M + D REVOCABLE LIVING TRUST M + D PETERS REVOCABLE LIVING TRUST |
2009 Quirk Family Trust | QUIRK FAMILY TRUST 2009 QUIRK FAMILY TRUST (exception to no dates rule because it is part of the trust name) |
Suzy Chapstick and Roger Rabbit Living Trust | CHAPSTICK, SUZY AND ROGER RABBIT LIVING TRUST |