Seaford Deed Records
Seaford deed records are filed at the Sussex County Recorder of Deeds at 2 The Circle in Georgetown. Every Seaford deed, mortgage, and lien goes through that office. Online search for Seaford deeds is free through the Landmark Web system. You can look up any Seaford parcel by grantor name, grantee name, book and page, or document type. This page covers where to file a new Seaford deed, how to search the online system, and how to get a copy of a historical Seaford record.
Seaford Overview
Where to File Seaford Deed Records
Seaford sits in Sussex County, so all Seaford deeds get recorded at the Sussex County Recorder of Deeds. The office is at 2 The Circle in Georgetown. The county recorder is Alexandra Reed Baker.
| Office | Sussex County Recorder of Deeds |
|---|---|
| Address | 2 The Circle, P.O. Box 827 Georgetown, DE 19947 |
| Phone | (302) 855-7785 |
| deeds@sussexcountyde.gov | |
| Hours | Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM (recording window closes at 4:00 PM) |
Seaford is about a 30-minute drive from the Sussex County office in Georgetown. Most Seaford closings happen through a title company or attorney who drives the deed to Georgetown for recording. You can also send a deed by mail with the right fees. The office will record it and return the certified copy to you.
Search Seaford Deed Records
Search Seaford deed records through the Sussex County Landmark Web Official Records Search. The system covers deeds, mortgages, liens, and easements for every Seaford parcel. Research and viewing are free. Try every spelling variation of a proper name to catch old records that may have been indexed with a different form.
For property assessment data, use the Sussex County Property Search. Search by owner name, street address, or parcel ID. The site pulls together the assessed value, tax status, ownership history, and basic property traits for every Seaford home.
To search Seaford deed records, you need:
- Full name of the grantor or grantee
- Seaford street address or parcel ID
- Approximate date of the transfer
- Book and page for older records
Historical Seaford deeds often reference the old Nanticoke Hundred or Northwest Fork Hundred rather than modern Seaford street lines. Knowing the hundred name speeds up work on any pre-1900 Seaford record.
Seaford Deed Record Types
The Sussex County recorder takes every kind of paper that touches a Seaford property. Warranty deeds and quitclaim deeds lead the volume. Mortgages and satisfaction pieces sit right behind. Historical Seaford records also include church deeds, school grants, and family estate transfers going back to the mid-1800s.
Common Seaford filings at the Sussex County office:
- Warranty deeds and quitclaim deeds
- Mortgages and satisfaction pieces
- Federal and state tax liens
- Easements and deed restrictions
- Assignments of mortgage
- Plot plans and subdivision maps
- Transfer on Death deeds
Seaford has a rich collection of historical church deed records in the Sussex County books. Examples on file include a deed between William E. Tyndall and the Woman's Society of Christian Service of Asbury Methodist Church dated October 1, 1947 in Deed Book Volume 373, pages 463-465. 
The Delaware historical marker page for Asbury United Methodist Church lists the specific book and page numbers for these Seaford church deed records.
Another historic Seaford deed is from James M. Blades dated 11/7/1871, recorded in Volume 82, pages 216-218 at the Sussex County Recorder of Deeds. 
The Blades United Methodist Church marker page cites a later deed from Leonard J. Blades to the Trustees of M.E. Church dated 11/15/1887 in Volume 109, pages 161-162. These records show how Seaford land changed hands across generations of the same family.
Seaford Recording Fees
Recording fees in Sussex County are the lowest of the three Delaware counties. A two-page Seaford deed costs $49. A 20-page mortgage runs $211. A two-page power of attorney costs $49. Each extra page on any document adds $9.
Copy costs for Seaford deeds:
- Self-service copy card: $0.50 per page
- Staff-printed copy: $1 per page
- Mail or email copy: $2 per page
- Certified copy: $3 at the counter
Transfer tax on a Seaford home sale is 1.5% to the state plus 1.5% to the county, for a combined 3%. Buyer and seller typically split the total 50/50 unless the contract says otherwise. First-time home buyers can get the county share waived if they meet the Delaware test. Seaford does not add a local transfer tax, so the total stays at 3%.
Historical Seaford Deed Records
Seaford property records reach back to the mid-1800s in the Sussex County books. The Sussex County office keeps bound deed books on the shelf in Georgetown. For anything older, the Delaware Public Archives in Dover holds a large collection of early land records.
The Sussex County microfilm collection covers deeds from 1693 to 1850 and indexes from 1682 to 1844. This is a good backup for any Seaford property tied to an old land grant. Microfilm copies are also available at the FamilySearch Library.
Old Seaford church records are a good example of how historical deeds shape a community. The Concord United Methodist Church in the Seaford area has a deed on file between trustees of the meeting house and Robert Royce from 1804 in Volume Z24, pages 261-261. Another deed from John Johnson to Thomas Rust is in Volume 87, pages 436-438 from 1876. The Mount Olivet Church at Seaford has a Certificate of Trustees from 1858 in Volume 65, page 251, and a deed from Mary Carson et al to the Trustees from 1863 in Volume 70, pages 389-392.
Seaford Deed Records and Delaware Law
Seaford recordings follow Delaware Code Title 9, Chapter 96. Under Section 9605, the Sussex County recorder must accept deeds, mortgages, and related instruments for any Seaford property. Title 25, Section 151 requires each Seaford deed to be recorded in Sussex County. The deed must carry an affidavit of residence and gain from the seller, the tax parcel number in a conspicuous place on the first page, and a "prepared by" line with the drafter's name and address.
Seaford is an attorney closing city within the Delaware attorney closing rule. Only a Delaware-licensed attorney can conduct a Seaford closing and release the settlement funds. Both buyer and seller typically have their own attorney. The attorneys run the title search, handle the closing, and send the deed to Sussex County for recording.
Under the Transfer on Death Act, Seaford homeowners can record a Transfer on Death deed at the Sussex County office. The deed names a beneficiary who inherits the Seaford property when the owner dies, with no probate step. The owner keeps full control during life and can revoke or replace the deed at any time. This is a simple, low-cost way to pass a Seaford home to an heir without a trust or a will contest.
Sussex County Deed Records
Seaford is in Sussex County. For more on county-level tools, fees, and office hours, see the county page.
Nearby Cities
These Delaware cities are near Seaford. Each files deeds through its own county recorder.