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Property OwnershipDeed_types_and_requirementsMEDIUM

Sandra is selling her Brookline condominium unit. At the closing table, the attorney presents a deed for Sandra to sign. Under Massachusetts law, which of the following is a required element for the deed to be legally valid and effective to convey title?

Correct Answer

B) The deed must be signed by the grantor and delivered to and accepted by the grantee

Under MGL Chapter 183 and general Massachusetts property law, a valid deed requires: a competent grantor and grantee, adequate description of the property, words of conveyance (granting clause), grantor's signature, and — critically — delivery to and acceptance by the grantee. Delivery and acceptance are essential elements; a deed that is never delivered to the grantee does not convey title, even if properly executed and notarized.

Answer Options
A
The deed must include the purchase price paid by the buyer in the body of the deed
B
The deed must be signed by the grantor and delivered to and accepted by the grantee
C
The deed must be recorded at the Registry of Deeds before it becomes legally effective between the parties
D
The deed must be witnessed by two disinterested parties in addition to the notary acknowledgment

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Related Topics & Key Terms

Key Terms:

deed_requirementsdelivery_acceptancedeed_validitymgl_chapter_183conveyance

Related Concepts

Fee simple absolute is the highest and most complete form of property ownership, giving the owner unrestricted rights to use, possess, enjoy, and dispose of the property. It is of unlimited duration and fully inheritable.

Community property is a system where property acquired during a marriage is owned equally by both spouses.

A freehold estate represents ownership of real property with an indefinite duration.

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