Berrien County Land Contract Form

Last validated October 14, 2026 by our Forms Development Team

Formatted for recording in Berrien County, for property anywhere in the county: rural and unincorporated areas as well as Baroda, Benton Harbor, Berrien Center, Berrien Springs, Bridgman, Buchanan, Coloma, Eau Claire and 15 more.

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Berrien County Land Contract Form

Berrien County Land Contract Form

Fill in the blank form formatted to comply with all recording and content requirements.

Document last validated 9/23/2026
Berrien County Land Contract Guidelines

Berrien County Land Contract Guidelines

Line by line guide explaining every blank on the form.

Document last validated 8/14/2026
Berrien County Completed Example of the Land Contract Document

Berrien County Completed Example of the Land Contract Document

Example of a properly completed form for reference.

Document last validated 10/14/2026

All 3 documents above included • One-time purchase • No recurring fees

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Important: Your property must be located in Berrien County to use these forms. Documents should be recorded at the office below.

Where to Record Your Documents

Berrien County Register of Deeds

Address:
701 Main St
St. Joseph, Michigan 49085

Hours: 8:30 to 5:00 M-F

Phone: (269) 983-7111 Ext. 8562

Recording Tips for Berrien County:
  • Bring your driver's license or state-issued photo ID
  • Ensure all signatures are in blue or black ink
  • Avoid the last business day of the month when possible
  • Both spouses typically need to sign if property is jointly owned
  • Bring extra funds - fees can vary by document type and page count

Cities and Jurisdictions in Berrien County

Properties in any of these areas use Berrien County forms:

  • Baroda
  • Benton Harbor
  • Berrien Center
  • Berrien Springs
  • Bridgman
  • Buchanan
  • Coloma
  • Eau Claire
  • Galien
  • Hagar Shores
  • Harbert
  • Lakeside
  • New Buffalo
  • New Troy
  • Niles
  • Riverside
  • Saint Joseph
  • Sawyer
  • Sodus
  • Stevensville
  • Three Oaks
  • Union Pier
  • Watervliet

View Complete Recorder Office Guide

Hours, fees, requirements, and more for Berrien County

How do I get my forms?

Forms are available for immediate download after payment. The Berrien County forms will be in your account ready to download to your computer. An account is created for you during checkout if you don't have one. Forms are NOT emailed.

Are these forms guaranteed to be recordable in Berrien County?

Yes. Our form blanks are guaranteed to meet or exceed the applicable formatting requirements used for recording in Berrien County, including margin requirements, font requirements, and other layout standards. This guarantee applies to formatting, not to the legal sufficiency of information entered by the user or the suitability of a form for a particular transaction.

Can I reuse these forms?

Yes. You can reuse the forms for your personal use. For example, if you have multiple properties in Berrien County you only need to order once.

What do I need to use these forms?

The forms are PDFs that you fill out on your computer. The free Adobe Acrobat Reader is recommended, and most PDF apps also work. You do NOT enter your property information online - you download the blank forms and complete them privately on your own computer.

Are there any recurring fees?

No. This is a one-time purchase. Nothing to cancel, no memberships, no recurring fees.

How much does it cost to record in Berrien County?

Recording fees in Berrien County vary. Contact the recorder's office at (269) 983-7111 Ext. 8562 for current fees.

Questions answered? Let's get started!

A land contract is a written legal contract used to purchase real estate; it is typically used in owner/seller financing. Once recorded it (shall have the same force and effect, as to subsequent encumbrancers and purchasers, as the recording of deeds and mortgages as now provided by law.) (565.354 section 4)

565.358 Land contract mortgage; document; form; execution, acknowledgement, and
recording; identification of encumbered interest; perfection of mortgage; priority.
Sec. 8.
(1) Any document that would be sufficient to constitute a real estate mortgage upon an interest in
real property shall constitute a land contract mortgage upon the vendor's or vendee's interest.
(2) A land contract mortgage shall be in a form and shall be executed, acknowledged, and recorded in the same manner as provided for real estate mortgages.
(3) A land contract mortgage need not specifically identify the interest encumbered as a vendor's or vendee's interest.
(4) A land contract mortgage that is recorded in the manner provided for real estate mortgages is perfected for all purposes, without filing, under the uniform commercial code, 1962 PA 172, MCL 440.1101 to 440.11102, any notice to the nonmortgaging vendor or the nonmortgaging vendee or the taking of possession of the original land contract document or otherwise. A land contract mortgage perfected in accordance with this section takes priority as a matter of law over all other mortgages, liens, security, or other interests in such vendor's or vendee's interests except those as to which a real estate mortgage would be subordinate.

565.359 Land contract mortgage; enforcement; foreclosure; additional remedies.
Sec. 9. (1) A land contract mortgage may be enforced in accordance with any existing procedure for the enforcement of a real estate mortgage, including, without limitation, foreclosure by advertisement and judicial foreclosure. Upon completion of a foreclosure by advertisement or judicial foreclosure of a land contract mortgage and the expiration of the applicable redemption period, the successful bidder at foreclosure shall succeed to all of the mortgaged interests of the respective foreclosed vendor or vendee.
(2) Other rights and remedies that may be available to a real estate mortgagee, including, without
limitation, future advance mortgages, assignments of rents, or receiverships may, in a proper case, be applied in favor of a land contract mortgagee.
(3) All remedies that existed before the effective date of sections 6 to 11 shall continue to apply. However, a land contract mortgage made pursuant to this act may, at the option of the land contract mortgagee, also be enforced as provided in this act.

Use this form for vacant land, residential housing, apartments/rental property, small commercial and condominiums.

For a Discharge of Land Contract, see Discharge of Mortgage form.

(Michigan LC Package includes form, guidelines, and completed example) For use in Michigan only.

Important: Your property must be located in Berrien County to use these forms. Documents should be recorded at the county recording office listed above.

This Land Contract meets all recording requirements specific to Berrien County.

Our Promise

The documents you receive here are guaranteed to meet or exceed the applicable Berrien County recording format requirements. If there is a rejection caused by our formatting, we will correct the issue or refund your payment. This guarantee applies to document formatting only and does not extend to information entered by the user, the selection of the form, or the legal effect of the completed document.

Save Time and Money

Get your Berrien County Land Contract form done right the first time with Deeds.com Uniform Conveyancing Blanks. At Deeds.com, we understand that your time and money are valuable resources, and we don't want you to face a penalty fee or rejection imposed by a county recorder for submitting nonstandard documents. We constantly review and update our forms to meet rapidly changing state and county recording requirements for roughly 3,500 counties and local jurisdictions.

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