How does a quitclaim deed differ from a warranty deed?

A quitclaim deed is characterized by its lack of guarantees regarding the property title. When a person transfers property using a quitclaim deed, they are simply transferring whatever interest they have in the property, without affirming that they own any specific rights or that the title is clear. This means that the grantee (the person receiving the property) accepts the deed without any legal assurance from the grantor (the person transferring the property) about the validity of the title or the presence of any encumbrances, such as liens or easements.

In contrast, a warranty deed provides a much stronger level of protection to the buyer because it guarantees that the grantor holds clear title to the property and has the legal right to sell it. The warranty deed assures the buyer that if any issues arise with the title after the sale, the grantor will be responsible for resolving them.

While quitclaim deeds can be useful in certain situations, such as for transferring property between family members or clearing up title issues, their lack of guarantees means that the grantee assumes more risk. Hence, the correct distinction is that a quitclaim deed provides no guarantees regarding the property title, which is fundamentally different from the protections offered by a warranty deed.