What is the exam-ready distinction?
| Official syllabus topic | Transfer of Title: Deed Types, Covenants, and Georgia Conveyances |
|---|---|
| Official PSI area | Transfer of Title |
| Published weight | 6% of the 100-question national portion |
| Source edition | PSI Georgia Candidate Information Bulletin dated July 1, 2026 |
The Rule
PSI publishes a weight for the complete official area, not a guaranteed count for this individual comparison. Use the source, document, actor, event, and timing stated in the question before applying a memorized definition.
Side-by-side comparison
Read across each row. The terms are deliberately compared on identical dimensions so the difference remains clear when the exam hides the vocabulary inside a scenario.
| Decision dimension | General warranty deed | Limited warranty deed | Quitclaim deed |
|---|---|---|---|
| What is conveyed | The described title with broad warranties | The described title with warranties limited to the grantor's period or acts | Whatever interest the grantor has, if any |
| Warranty scope | Claims arising before and during the grantor's ownership as the deed provides | Claims by, through, or under the grantor as the deed provides | No title warranty |
| Risk allocation | Broadest grantor warranty of the three | Narrower grantor warranty | Grantee accepts the greatest title risk |
| Exam clue | Defend against claims of all persons | Defend only claims connected to this grantor | Release or convey current interest without warranties |
Decision rule
Georgia-specific distinction
Worked example
Scenario. A Georgia deed says the grantor will warrant title only against claims arising by, through, or under the grantor.
Reason it through. The promise is limited to the grantor's own period and acts rather than all title history.
Answer. The deed uses a limited warranty rather than a general warranty.
Common exam traps
- Assuming quitclaim means defective title
- Treating deed warranties as property-condition warranties
- Calling limited warranty no warranty
- Ignoring the exact covenant language
Original practice questions with detailed explanations
These are original instructional questions mapped to the July 1, 2026 PSI outline. They are not copied from PSI or any live examination. Choose an answer before opening the explanation.
Question 1A buyer received a general warranty deed. Later, a claim surfaces from a lien placed by an owner who held title 20 years before the grantor. What protection does the deed give?
- A. None, since the claim predates the grantor's ownership
- B. None, since deed warranties end once it is recorded
- C. Only what the buyer's title insurer refuses to pay
- D. It covers claims from before the grantor's ownership
Show answer and explanation →
Answer: D. It covers claims from before the grantor's ownership
A general warranty deed gives the broadest title covenants, covering claims arising before and during the grantor's ownership as the deed provides. The old lien falls within that promise. The first choice describes a limited warranty deed, which is the nearest confusion.
Question 2An heir who holds full, clear title signs a quitclaim deed to a buyer. What does the buyer receive?
- A. No title, because quitclaim deeds pass no ownership
- B. Only a lien, until a warranty deed is signed
- C. The heir's full title, but with no title warranty
- D. Full title plus warranties against all claims
Show answer and explanation →
Answer: C. The heir's full title, but with no title warranty
A quitclaim deed conveys whatever interest the grantor has without promising that any title exists. Because the heir held full title, the buyer receives it, just without warranties. Assuming a quitclaim means defective or empty title is the trap.
Question 3After closing under a limited warranty deed, the buyer finds a cracked foundation that no one mentioned. Does the deed's warranty cover the crack?
- A. Yes, because the grantor warranted the property itself
- B. No, because deed warranties concern title, not condition
- C. Yes, if the crack began during the grantor's ownership
- D. No, because a limited warranty deed carries no warranty
Show answer and explanation →
Answer: B. No, because deed warranties concern title, not condition
Deed covenants promise things about title, such as freedom from certain claims, not the physical condition of the building. Any remedy for the crack would come from disclosure law or the contract, not the deed. The third choice borrows the limited-warranty time frame and wrongly applies it to condition.
Ready to move on?
You have this distinction down when all of these are true.
- Define every compared term without using the other term as the definition.
- Rebuild the comparison table from memory.
- State the decision rule and Georgia distinction without notes.
- Solve the worked example after changing one key fact.
- Explain the rule or fact that makes each distractor wrong.
- Answer all three original questions correctly in mixed practice on a later day.
Recommended next lesson
Continue with Foreclosure Versus Short Sale. A deed is one way title moves in Georgia, and Foreclosure Versus Short Sale covers what happens when the loan behind it fails: a power-of-sale foreclosure by the creditor or a lender-approved sale by the owner.
Return to the complete exam-concept library or the Transfer of Title hub.