A Quitclaim Deed is the document that transfers your interest in a California property to another person — without title warranties. It is mainly used between family members, between spouses (divorce transfers), to transfer property to a Living Trust, or when adding or removing someone from title. Bilingual, California-valid, $149.
Use a Quitclaim Deed when: you transfer your home to your Living Trust (most common transfer), add your spouse to title after marriage, remove an ex-spouse's name from title after divorce, transfer property between parents and children as gift, transfer your share of family property to a sibling, add or remove a co-owner. NOT used to sell property to a stranger (use Grant Deed for that, with title warranties). The Quitclaim transfers WITHOUT guaranteeing the title is free of problems — that is why it is only used between people who trust each other.
For a Quitclaim Deed to be effective in California, it must: (1) be signed by the Grantor before a notary public (without notary, it is not recordable), (2) be recorded with the County Recorder where the property is located (cost: $20-$25 plus transfer taxes), (3) include a Preliminary Change of Ownership Report (PCOR) or the Assessor will charge a penalty. Transfers between spouses, between parents-children, and to a Living Trust are EXEMPT from transfer tax and property reassessment (Proposition 19 changed some exemptions — verify). If you do not record the document, the transfer is effective between the parties but NOT against third parties.
Grant Deed transfers WITH implied warranties that the title is clean and was not previously transferred. Quitclaim Deed transfers WITHOUT warranties — the Grantor transfers only what they have (could be nothing). Use Grant Deed for real sales, Quitclaim for family transfers or to Trust.
NO. The Quitclaim Deed is the LEAST protective transfer. If you buy a house with a Quitclaim Deed (not recommended), you have no recourse if you discover later liens, debts, or title disputes.
If you are buying or receiving property from a non-family member, YES — title insurance protects against problems not discovered in the title. For transfers between known family or to Trust, generally not necessary.
Approximately $20-$25 recording fee + transfer tax (varies by county, typically $1.10 per $1,000 of value) + Documentary Transfer Tax if applicable. Exempt transfers (family, to Trust) do not pay transfer tax.
Multi Servicios 360: $149. An attorney: $300-$800. Important: our price is only for preparing the document; you or our Boots on the Ground service ($249) takes it to the County Recorder.
Multi Servicios 360 is a self-help legal document preparation platform. We are not a law firm and do not provide legal advice.
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