A quitclaim deed conveys—”quits”—a person’s interest in a property to someone else. Quitclaims prove useful in certain transfers of properties among family members or between divorcing spouses. The quitclaim allows separating partners to follow a court’s direction and leave one party as sole owner of the marital home. Quitclaims might seem convenient in other circumstances, but they are rarely the best choice.
In contrast to the warranty deed, a quitclaim deed offers no assurances of clear title. In most jurisdictions a recorder of deeds must simply record a quitclaim deed; it is not the recorder’s role to investigate the circumstances of the conveyance.
Scammers may take advantage of the quitclaim’s simplicity to siphon equity from vulnerable people. After recording a quitclaim, a bad actor may sell the property with no guarantees, rent it under false pretenses, or exploit its underlying value as collateral.