Buying a house in Ohio if married? (Dower Rights...What do those rights mean?)?

Question

I was looking into buying a house in Ohio and came across something called the Dower Rights. Does this "right" mean that I couldn't buy a house in my name only?

I won't be getting a mortgage on the house, I will be paying cash for it. But you are saying that a title company can have my husband sign off on his rights, right?

Answer 1

No, you can still buy a home in your name only as far a mortgage is concerned. But if you are married, per Ohio law, your spouse has 50% ownership.

If you do not want your spouse to have any interest in the property , they would have to sign off on their dower rights.

A title company should be able to handle this for you.

Answer 2

Dower rights mean that even if the deed is in your name, if you are married, you can't sell it unless your spouse signs off on it. No mater what the circumstances, the spouse gets a cut of the proceeds of the sale. Dower used to mean a woman's rights, but it includes both spouses.You can buy it in your name only, but when it's time to sell, the dower rights kick in. This only applies if you are married when you sell a house.

Answer 3

Could be, if you're married. Or at least you would still not have full, unrestricted title to it even if you bought it in your name only.

I ran across the term many years ago, also in Ohio, when I went to sell a house that was in my name only - I was married by the time of the sale, but had owned the house before we were married. When I went to sell it, I was told that my husband had to sign also, not just me. I asked the lawyer why, since it was just in my name and I'd owned it before we were married - he said that since we were married now, my husband had "dower rights". That's the only time I ever ran across the term.