Special Warranty Deed. On the other hand, if you are the seller, you can limit your warranties by signing a special warranty deed instead of a statutory warranty deed.

Fee Simple Deed. Even better, if you are the seller, you could sign a fee simple deed because it contains no warranties at all, but it still purports to convey fee simple title.
Trustee’s Deed. If you are a trustee, personal representative or guardian, then you want to sign a special type of deed for that capacity, which is similar to a fee simple deed and gives no warranties because it would obligate the trust, estate or guardianship beyond the term of your office.

Quit Claim Deed. If you are not sure whether you really own the property, then you want to sign a quit claim deed. (Non-lawyers sometimes mistakenly call this a “quick” claim deed, but the correct name is quit claim deed.) Doing this means you quit claim your interest to the grantee, meaning that you only convey to the grantee whatever interest you have in the property. If you have no interest in the property, then you are conveying nothing.

The key is to specify the type of deed in the contract for sale, and to have your attorney read both the contract and the deed before you sign them. And it’s imperative that a title search and title insurance be obtained from a licensed title insurance company before you sign a deed.

Here’s the reason. Many people think houses are like cars. Cars have title certificates, so houses must, too. But they don’t. At least not in Florida.

Vehicle title registration systems are mostly a 20th century thing. Cars are, too. Land ownership, on the other hand, is ancient. Florida land ownership laws are based on the common law of England so there are no title certificates. Instead, who owns land and houses on land is determined by searching the public records where deeds are recorded. The last deed recorded usually says who the current owner is.

Of course, that’s why you need title searches and title insurance: to cover those times when the last deed does not name the current owner.

So, how do you get someone’s name off the title to real estate in Florida? It depends. Sometimes it takes recording another deed. Sometimes it takes recording a death certificate. It all depends on the facts and the state of the title. Which is what lawyers and title companies help you do.