What does a special warranty deed guarantee?

A special warranty deed guarantees benefits only for the period of the grantor's ownership. This type of deed provides a limited warranty, which means the grantor is only responsible for claims or liens that occurred during their ownership of the property. The grantor does not guarantee against any issues that may have arisen prior to their ownership. This is important for buyers to understand, as they will not be protected from past claims or liabilities associated with the property that the grantor did not create.

In contrast, options that suggest protection against all previous claims or absolute ownership misleadingly imply a level of assurance that a special warranty deed does not provide. A special warranty deed imposes a more restricted scope of guaranteed title than a general warranty deed, which covers all claims, even those from before the grantor's ownership. Additionally, the suggestion of a complete title transfer without restrictions may overlook the specific limitations inherent in a special warranty deed, which only represents claims during the grantor's period of ownership.