Which guarantee is provided by a general warranty deed but not by a special warranty deed?

A general warranty deed provides the most comprehensive guarantees regarding the title of a property. One of its key features is that the seller guarantees to defend the buyer against any and all claims to the property, regardless of when those claims arose. This means that even issues that originated before the seller acquired the property are covered, providing a robust form of protection for the buyer.

In contrast, a special warranty deed only guarantees the title against claims that arose during the seller's ownership of the property. The seller does not extend that protection to any claims that may have been present prior to their ownership. As a result, the special warranty deed offers less coverage compared to the general warranty deed.

Understanding these differences is crucial for any real estate transaction, as it affects the level of security and recourse available to the buyer regarding property title issues.