Shelby County Installment Land Contract Form

Additional Tennessee and Shelby County documents included at no extra charge:

Where to Record Your Documents

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Cities and Jurisdictions in Shelby County

Properties in any of these areas use Shelby County forms:

• Arlington
• Brunswick
• Collierville
• Cordova
• Eads
• Ellendale
• Germantown
• Memphis
• Millington

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Based on Tennessee law and common real estate practice, Installment Land Contracts (Contracts for Deed) are most effective in the following situations:
1. Buyers with Limited Financing Options: Ideal for buyers who cannot qualify for traditional mortgage loans due to limited credit history, insufficient down payment, or other financial barriers. These contracts allow access to property ownership without third-party lenders and often feature more flexible qualification standards.

2. Hard-to-Finance or Nontraditional Properties: Well-suited for properties that conventional lenders avoid — such as undeveloped land, rural acreage, or mixed-use buildings. Sellers can facilitate transactions that might otherwise stall, expanding the potential buyer pool.

3. Seller-Financed Income Stream: Attractive for sellers seeking steady installment income rather than a lump-sum sale. Payments can provide a predictable cash flow, often at a favorable interest rate, and may allow capital gains to be reported over time under IRS installment sale rules. This is common for investment or commercial properties, or among retirees seeking passive income.

4. Quick, Low-Cost Transactions: In periods of tight credit or high interest rates, installment contracts provide an efficient, low-cost alternative to traditional financing. They can minimize closing costs by avoiding lender fees, appraisals, and extensive underwriting — enabling faster transactions, especially in growth markets such as Nashville, Knoxville, and Chattanooga.

5. Bridge to Full Ownership: Useful for buyers planning to refinance or pay off the balance within a defined term — often five to ten years. This “bridge” structure allows buyers to build equity while using or improving the property, with final title delivered upon full payment.

Advantages
Buyers: Easier qualification than mortgages; lower upfront and closing costs; immediate possession; opportunity to build equity and achieve ownership despite credit challenges.
Sellers: Predictable income stream; deferred recognition of taxable gains; retention of title as security; ability to sell property “as-is” without lender requirements.
Both Parties: Flexibility to negotiate terms, payment schedules, and interest rates; simplified documentation and faster closings compared to conventional lending.
Mortgage tax could be due per Tenn. Code Ann. § 67-4-409(b)(1) unless exempt. an Oath of Consideration is attached to the document.
“Prior to the public recordation of any instrument evidencing an indebtedness, including, but not limited to, mortgages, deeds of trust, conditional sales contracts, financing statements … there shall be paid a tax … of 11.5¢ on each $100 of indebtedness so evidenced.”

For use in Tennessee only.

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

This Installment Land Contract meets all recording requirements specific to Shelby County.

Our Promise

The documents you receive here are guaranteed to meet or exceed the applicable Shelby 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.

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