The statute of frauds requires that:

Notarization is a separate legal requirement from the Statute of Frauds — while deeds typically must be notarized to be recorded in the public record, the Statute of Frauds does not require notarization of contracts; it only requires that they be in writing and signed by the party to be charged.

The Statute of Frauds requires that the contract be signed by 'the party to be charged' — meaning the party against whom enforcement is sought — and in practice, both parties typically sign to make the agreement mutually enforceable; requiring only the buyer's signature is legally inaccurate and would leave the buyer unable to enforce the contract against an unsigned seller.

Real estate contracts do not need to be filed with any court to be valid or enforceable — they are private agreements between parties, and court filing is neither required nor standard practice; deeds and certain liens are recorded with the county recorder's office, but contracts themselves remain private documents.