Chapter 6 - Transferring and Recording Title to Real Estate Flashcards
If a person dies with no legal heirs or relations and has left no valid will, what happens to real property owned by that person?
it is taken by the state according to the process called escheat
With the exception of a Torrens certificate, the best evidence of marketable title is…
title insurance
The fundamental purpose of recording instruments that affect real property is…
to give constructive notice of one’s rights and interests in the property
The type of statutory deed that contains the most complete protection for the grantee is a …
general warranty deed
The only required clause in a deed of conveyance is one that…
states the grantor’s intention, names the parties, describes the property, and indicates a consideration
A person wishes to convey any and all interests in a property to another without making any assurances as to encumbrances, liens, or any other title defects on the property. This party would most likely use …
a quitclaim deed
What is ‘chain of title’?
a chronology of successive owners of record of a parcel of real estate
The Torrens system differs from other title recording systems in that
title is conveyed only when conveyance is registered on the title certificate
The purpose of a covenant clause in a deed of conveyance is to
state the grantor’s assurance or warrant the grantee that a certain condition or fact concerning the property is true
Just prior to passing away, a person tells two witnesses that she would like her estate to pass to her husband. One witness records the statement and signs his name. This is an example of…
an unenforceable nuncupative will
If a person having several heirs dies intestate, the property will…
pass to heirs by the laws of descent and distribution
A one-time tax levied on a property for purposes of recording a transition is called …
a documentary stamp tax
A hermit secretly lives in a cave on a 200-acre property. After 20 years, the person makes a claim of ownership to the property. The claim will likely be…
declined because possession was secretive
For a deed to convey title, it is necessary for the deed to be…
accepted by the grantee
Legal title
title that can be documented and is available through public records.
Equitable title
a beneficial interest in real property that gives the title holder the right to acquire legal title to the property. Equitable title holders cannot transfer legal title to real property, but they derive benefits from the property’s appreciation in value.
Voluntary transferring of title includes
public grant, deed, will
Involuntary transferring of title includes
descent escheat, foreclosure, eminent domain, adverse possession, estoppel
A ___ is a legal instrument used by an owner, the grantor, or transfer title to real estate voluntarily to another party, the grantee.
deed
To be legally valid, delivery of the deed requires that the grantor..
-be competent at the time of delivery
-intend to deliver the deed, beyond the act of making physical delivery
It is necessary for the deed to be ______ and ______ by the grantee for title to pass.
delivered to and accepted
A deed must meet the following requirements for validity…
-be delivered and accepted
-have a competent grantor and legitimate grantee
-be in writing
-contain a legal description
-include consideration
-be signed by the grantor
-be acknowledged
Recording is ____ necessary to make a deed valid.
not - although it is in the grantee’s best interests to do so
Conveyance clauses
describe the details of the transfer
The principal conveyance clauses are…
-granting clause or premises clause (the only required clause)
-habendum clause
-reddendum clause or reserving clause
-tenendum clause
Granting conveyance clause
aka premises clause, the only required clause, contains the conveyance intentions, names the parties, describes the property, indicates nominal consideration
Habendum conveyance clause
describes the type of estate being conveyed (fee simple, life, etc)
Reddendum conveyance clause
aka reserving clause, recites restrictions and limitations to the estate being conveyed (eg deed restrictions, liens, easement, encroachments, etc)
Tenendum conveyance clause
identifies property being conveyed in addition to land
Covenant clauses present
the grantor’s assurances to the grantee
A deed of conveyance usually contains one or more of these covenants
-warrant of seisin
-warrant of quiet enjoyment
-warrant of further assurance
-warranty forever, warranty of title
-warrant of encumbrances
-warranty against grantor’s acts
Warrant of seisin covenant
assures that the grantor owns the estate to be conveyed, and has the right to do so
Warrant of quiet enjoyment covenant
assures that the grantee will not be disturbed by third party title disputes
Warrant of further assurance covenant
assures that the grantor will assist in clearing any title problems discovered later
Warranty forever; warranty of title covenant
assures that the grantee will receive good title, and that grantor will assist in defending any claims to the contrary
Warrant of encumbrances covenant
assures that there are no encumbrances on the property except those expressly named
Warranty against grantor’s acts covenant
states the assurance of a trustee, acting as grantor on behalf of the owner, that nothing has been done to impair title during the fiduciary period
The most common deeds are
statutory deeds - in which the covenants are defined in law and do not need to be fully stated in the deed
Bargain and sale deed
the grantor covenants that the title is valid but may or may not warrant against encumbrances or promise to defend against claims by other parties
“I own, but won’t defend”