A South Dakota general warranty deed records the conveyance of real estate and provides the new owner (the grantee) a complete warranty of title. The covenants included therein protect the grantee against all encumbrances (e.g., liens, third-party claims, unpaid taxes, etc.), whether they were created during the current grantor’s period of ownership or before. If, for example, a mechanic’s lien is discovered after the deed has been signed, the grantor will be legally responsible for settling the claim. A general warranty deed’s covenants also provide assurance that the grantor does in fact hold property title, which means that they can legally transfer it to the grantee.