What is typically required to make a deed valid?

To establish the validity of a deed, acceptance by the grantee is essential. A deed is a formal document that transfers ownership of real property from the grantor to the grantee, and the process is not complete until the grantee accepts the deed. Acceptance indicates that the grantee agrees to the ownership rights being conveyed, thus finalizing the transfer.

While other aspects, like signatures and potentially even filing, may be important in certain jurisdictions, they are not universally required for the validity of a deed. For example, a verbal agreement would not satisfy the legal requirements for real property transfers, which must often be in writing per the Statute of Frauds. The signature of a witness, while it can provide additional verification and may be required for certain types of deeds, is not a universal requirement for all deeds. Additionally, while a filing fee might be required to record the deed, recording is separate from the act of making the deed valid; a deed can be valid even if it hasn’t been recorded yet, as long as the essential elements such as acceptance are present. Therefore, acceptance is the cornerstone requirement that solidifies the validity of a deed in a property transfer.