You’re buying a new home and there is such excitement all around. What kind of floors should you put in, what color should the living room be, should we get a new fence? While you are busy planning making your house a home, we are busy making sure the property is being conveyed (sold or transferred) to you properly.At the closing, when the deed is finally signed, it’s very exciting, but what rights does your deed give you? There are many different types of deeds, with many different meanings, which provide different degrees of ownership and property rights. The most commonly used deeds when buying or selling a home are warranty deeds, which transfer the property itself (in comparison quitclaim deeds simply transfer whatever interest in the property the seller).
In Pennsylvania, there are two types of warranty deeds, special and general. The special warranty deed contains a warranty or promise from the grantor (the person selling or transferring the property) to the grantee (you the buyer) against all claims to the title of the property from the grantor or anyone making a claim based on the grantor’s prior ownership.
The general warranty deed provides a broader guarantee than the special warranty deed. When a grantor (seller) gives a general warranty deed, the grantor is promising that the grantor will defend the title against anyone and everyone who has a claim of title to the property.
At Terra Abstract, we have experience with the various deed forms in all the states we serve. Regardless of what type of deed you choose, we at Terra Abstract will make sure everything is done properly and will be here to answer your questions.
