What requirements must a deed meet to be considered valid?

There are requirements a deed must meet before it is considered valid. Generally, a deed is a legal document that transfers the ownership of real estate property from one individual or business to another. Without something in writing, the property owners can't transfer any real estate. So, it is vitally important for each party to make sure that all the correct information in the deed.

A deed must contain the names of the prior and new owners. This means that the owners selling the property, called grantor, and the new owners, called grantee, must have their names on the deed. The deed must also contain a legal description of the property being transferred. The grantor must also sign the deed for it to be valid. Another requirement is that the person selling the property must acknowledge before a notary public that they executed the deed.

For the deed to be valid, it must be recorded at the local office of the county recorder or recorder of deeds where the property is located.

Deeds are complicated because there are different types of deeds. For instance, a warranty deed guarantees that the person selling the property actually owns it. However, the quit claim deed transfers only the interest in the real estate property that the person selling actually has. Thus, anyone drawing up a deed should consult a real estate lawyer about all deeds and which one is best.