Warranty deed
The strongest form of deed. The seller guarantees clear title all the way back through history and promises to defend against claims. Most residential sales use one.
Your Room opens on going under contract and closing, with the offer and everything before it already ticked.
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See how it worksWhere this comes up: closing
Part 1 of 4
Why a seller cares
It is the deed most sales close on, and it makes you stand behind the title all the way back. The title search and the owner's policy are what let you make that promise without knowing every prior owner.
Part 2 of 4
A simple example
You sign a general warranty deed at closing. If a claim from 1985 surfaces later, the buyer's title policy handles it, and the deed is what lets them claim.
| The deed you sign | What you stand behind |
|---|---|
| General warranty deed | The whole chain of title, before and during your ownership |
| Special warranty deed | Your own years only |
| Quitclaim | Nothing; it passes whatever you had |
The warranty deed is the strongest promise, and the title policy is what backs it.
Part 3 of 4
What people get wrong
That signing a warranty deed makes you personally liable forever. The buyer's title policy is the first line, and a claim against a seller is rare.
Part 4 of 4 · where to read next
Where it appears in the sale
What a definition is, and what it isn't
Keighbor is a software company, not a law firm, brokerage, or tax adviser. This is general information, not legal, tax, financial, or real estate advice about your sale. Your situation may differ. Before acting on a contract, disclosure, title, tax, or pricing question, ask an appropriately licensed professional in your state.
Written and researched by Keighbor Research · drawn from the reference glossary · how we research and check what we publish
In your Room, this word explains itself where it appears.
Your Room defines warranty deed in the step you meet it in, beside the document or the date it belongs to. Free to set up, with an agent or on your own.
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