Last reviewed: July 2026
The market deeds
- General warranty deed — the gold standard in Florida sales: the grantor warrants title against ALL defects, even ones predating their ownership. Standard in arm's-length residential deals.
- Special warranty deed — warrants only against defects arising DURING the grantor's ownership. Standard from builders, banks (REO), and institutional sellers. Fine — but it shifts more weight onto your title insurance.
- Quitclaim deed — no warranties at all: 'whatever interest I have, you now have.' Right tool for divorces, family transfers, and curative cleanups; wrong tool for purchases. Buying real property on a quitclaim from a stranger is a flashing red light.
The planning and estate deeds
- Enhanced life estate deed ('Lady Bird') — a Florida specialty: owner keeps full control for life (sell, mortgage, revoke — no one's consent needed), property passes automatically at death outside probate. Powerful, homestead-compatible, and drafting-sensitive — attorney work, always.
- Personal representative's deed — how estates convey: the PR transfers under probate authority, warranties limited to the estate's capacity. Its validity leans entirely on the court file behind it — which is what our examination verifies.
What deed type means for you
Buying: expect a general warranty deed in a standard resale; understand what you're accepting when a builder or bank offers special warranty; question quitclaims hard. Transferring within the family or into your trust or LLC: the deed choice carries tax, homestead, and liability consequences that deserve twenty minutes of legal advice before anyone signs — deed preparation is legal work in Florida, and the fifty-dollar internet deed that clouds your title is the most expensive document in this article.