Contract for Deed

Type: Concept

As of November 2026, Contract for Deed has been mentioned in one podcast episode on The Ramsey Show (Nov 2026). Hosts warn a caller about risks of contract-for-deed / land contract arrangements where property isn't in buyer's name despite payments.

In contract law, a land contract,, is a contract between the buyer and seller of real property in which the seller provides the buyer financing in the purchase, and the buyer repays the resulting loan in installments. Under a land contract, the seller retains the legal title to the property but permits the buyer to take possession of it for most purposes other than that of legal ownership. The sale price is typically paid in periodic installments, often with a balloon payment at the end to make