Note: The DearEsq free 'ask a lawyer' site is offered as a free informational service to the public and is not intended as legal advice. Laws vary from state-to-state, and in addition every situation is unique, and relevant facts may not be known. The answer to the question posed below may not apply to in your state or to your situation. For legal advice in your state and your situation you should consult with an attorney in your state who is familiar with the rules and laws in your state.
“I purchased a lot about 12 years ago and all I received was a Quick Deed from the seller. I soon built a house and recently been wondering, do I need more than just a Quick Deed?”It depends.
Question: Your question is very complicated, because it depends on a number of things you don’t mention. For example, when you bought the property, did you get title insurance? (If the answer to that is yes, you can probably stop reading; even if something is wrong with your title, the insurance will cover your loss.)If you didn’t get title insurance, are you sure the person who sold you the land actually owned it?
I’m not familiar with the term “quick deed,” although many people mis-hear the term “quitclaim deed” as “quick-claim deed.” If that’s what you have, what it means is that the seller is giving you all his interest in the property, but is not guaranteeing that he has any (as he would be doing with a grant deed or a warranty deed). So if he actually owned the property, then he did give it to you.Chances are that the deed you took is adequate to transfer ownership to you. Even if it wasn’t, the fact that nobody else came along in the past 12 years to kick you out is a good sign (and may, depending on what state the property is in, even give you legal ownership).
Answer:
If there is something specific you now want to do with the property, you may wish to have a quick consultation with an attorney in your area to make sure there will be no problems with it in the future.
