An Alaska special warranty deed is used to transfer property from a seller (grantor) to a buyer (grantee) with protection against defects resulting from the grantor’s ownership period. By conveying real estate under this type of deed, the grantor warrants that the property is free of any and all encumbrances (i.e., easements, liens, unpaid taxes) for the full span of time they owned the property. This type of warranty contrasts with that of a general warranty deed, which warrants against issues dating back to the property’s initial owner.

Grantees can check a grantor’s claim of a clear title by performing a title search. A title search is a process where an attorney or title company sifts through county records to search for outstanding claims and verify if the grantor is indeed the title’s rightful owner.