Where should you file appropriate documentation for real estate as collateral?

• A. With the county recorder in which the real estate is located
• B. With the county clerk of probate
• C. With the state revenue department
• D. With the federal registry of deeds

Answer: (A)

When real estate is used as collateral, the security interest is perfected by recording the mortgage or deed of trust in the public records of the county where the property is located. The county recorder (often called the recorder of deeds) maintains these official records. Recording provides public notice of the lien and establishes its priority against other potential claimants, which is essential for the lender’s rights in the property. The other options don’t fit: the probate clerk handles estates, the state revenue department deals with taxes, and there is no federal registry of deeds for real property records.