Changing the name of a property

[Gulliver R.]

How do you change the name of a property at or after closing?

[Brian Burke]

The above advice is accurate, but there might be an additional step. In many jurisdictions you have to file a fictitious business name statement (also known as a DBA) whenever you use a fictitious business name. So if you are renaming the property to Marvin Gardens Apartments, you would file a statement for that name. If a fictitious name statement was filed for the previous name you would also file an abandonment of fictitious business name statement for the old name.

You might also search the county’s fictitious business name database for the name you intend to use to see if anyone else is already using the name.