Good Deeds

A general warranty deed is a deed in which the seller warrants title to the property being conveyed. This basically means that the grantor promises that the property is free from encumbrances and that he/she will defend the grantee against any rightful claims of third parties. You can think of it as the grantor taking responsibility for the accuracy of the title up until the point of sale. That doesn’t mean that you, as a landman, should rely on those claims, but they may help provide some clarification and/or insight into your chain of title.

Just as it sounds, a limited warranty deed offers a more limited warranty than does a general warranty deed. A limited warranty deed may also be called a special warranty deed. The grantor in this type of deed warrants that the title is free and clear from other claims only during the time of his/her ownership. With this type of deed, no promises are made as to the title prior to the grantor receiving interest.

A quitclaim deed does not contain any type of warranty as to the accuracy of title. It is a deed in which a grantor releases any claims he/she may have to the property. Keep in mind that just because someone executes a quitclaim deed, it does not necessarily mean that he/she actually owned any interest in the property.