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Real Estate vocabulary · Contracts, Deeds & Title

Deed

Meaning in real estate, with examples

/diːd/nounCore term

In real estate, deed means: A signed legal document that transfers ownership of a property from one person to another or proves who owns it.

In Turkish: tapu senedi, tapu, devir belgesi

How it is used

In the US the seller signs a deed at closing, and it is then recorded at a local county office. In the UK people speak of the deeds or title deeds of a home. Lawyers draft, sign, record and transfer deeds.

Example sentences

  1. Once the deed is recorded, you are the legal owner of the house.

  2. The lawyer checked the deed for any errors in the property description.

Common collocations

  • sign the deed
  • record a deed
  • title deeds
  • transfer the deed
  • deed of sale
  • titleThe legal right to own a property, together with the records that show who the owner is and whether anyone else has a claim on it.
  • closingThe final stage of a property sale, when the remaining money is paid, the documents are signed and ownership passes from the seller to the buyer.
  • land registryThe government office or database that records who owns land and buildings, together with any mortgages or rights attached to them.
  • conveyancingThe legal work involved in transferring ownership of a property from seller to buyer, from checking the title to registering the new owner.
  • escrowAn arrangement in which a neutral third party holds money or documents until all the conditions of a deal are met, then releases them to the right person.

More terms: Contracts, Deeds & Title

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