A Michigan deed must contain a legal description of the property being conveyed. A buyer's agent in Saginaw reviews a deed that describes the property using only the street address ('123 Maple Street, Saginaw, MI 48601'). Under Michigan law, which of the following BEST describes the legal effect of this deed?
Correct Answer
C) The deed may be challenged because a street address alone is generally insufficient as a legal description
Under Michigan law and standard conveyancing practice, a valid deed must contain a sufficient legal description of the property — typically a metes and bounds description, a government survey (section, township, range) description, or a reference to a recorded plat (lot, block, subdivision). A street address alone is generally considered insufficient as a legal description because addresses can change, are not permanent legal identifiers, and do not precisely define the boundaries of the parcel. A deed with only a street address may be challenged as legally defective and could create title problems.
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Related Topics & Key Terms
Key Terms:
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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