Can I Sell a House with a Quitclaim Deed in Riverview, FL?

You can own a house free and clear in Riverview, FL, have your name right there on the deed, and still run into a brick wall when you try to sell it. All because of how you got the property in the first place.

Quitclaim deeds are super common in Florida, but they turn into this whole thing the second you want to list the house.

Yes, you can sell. But you’re going to deal with some stuff that regular sellers don’t. Here’s everything you need to know so you don’t get blindsided three weeks before closing.

What Is a Quitclaim Deed?

A quitclaim deed is someone handing you property with absolutely zero promises attached. They’re not saying they own it. They’re not saying the title’s clean. They’re literally just transferring whatever rights they might have. If those rights turn out to be nothing, that’s your problem now.

Warranty deeds are the complete opposite. The seller’s making legal guarantees that they own the place, and if anything’s messed up with the title, they’re liable. You’ve got comeback rights.

Quitclaim deeds are super popular for divorces where one spouse is getting off the title, or when parents are gifting property to kids. It’s fast and cheap.

Note, though, that they’re designed for situations where everyone trusts each other, not for selling to random buyers who need actual protection.

If you received property through a quitclaim deed and aren’t sure what rights you actually have, we can help. Contact us today for a no-obligation cash offer and a straightforward way to sell, regardless of title concerns or your situation.

Can You Sell a Home with a Quitclaim Deed in Riverview, FL?

Florida won’t stop you from selling. Your ownership is your ownership, and you’re allowed to transfer it to whoever you want.

The issue is finding someone who’ll actually buy it. Most buyers need mortgages, and lenders lose their minds over quitclaim deeds. They need bulletproof confirmation that you legitimately own the property with zero competing claims.

A quitclaim deed proves someone transferred rights to you, not that they had the full rights to transfer.

That’s a huge red flag for underwriters who are trying to protect a $300,000 loan.

Even cash buyers get sketchy about it. They don’t want to buy your house and then find out six months later that someone else has a legitimate ownership claim or there’s a lien nobody knew about.

But people do sell properties with quitclaim deeds all the time in Riverview. You just need to either fix the title issues up front or find buyers who work with these situations regularly and know how to handle them.

What Are Common Title Problems with Florida Quitclaim Deeds

Title problems with quitclaim deeds aren’t rare. They’re actually pretty standard, and they can kill your sale if you’re not prepared.

Unclear Ownership History

When someone quitclaimed that property to you, they might have owned only half of it. Or a third. Or, nothing at all.

Did their ex-spouse sign off? Were there siblings involved in the inheritance who also had rights? Did the person before them even legitimately own it?

It’s this chain that nobody bothered to verify because “it’s just family.” Title companies hate this stuff because they can’t promise your buyer that some random cousin isn’t going to show up claiming they own part of your house.

Existing Liens and Encumbrances

Liens stick to the property, not the person. So if the previous owner owed $15,000 in back taxes or had a contractor lien from that half-finished bathroom reno, you just inherited their debt.

The quitclaim deed didn’t erase any of that. It’s all still sitting there on the title, waiting to surprise whoever runs a title search.

Buyers aren’t exactly thrilled about paying off someone else’s problems before they can move into their new house.

Competing Claims to the Property

Sometimes, two or three different people all think they legitimately own the same property because Uncle Max gave out quitclaim deeds like candy before he died. Or both spouses in a divorce signed deeds to different people.

Now you’re trying to sell, but this other person is waving their own paperwork, claiming they actually own it.

Sorting this out can take months and cost thousands in legal fees.

Errors in the Quitclaim Deed Documentation

You’d be shocked at how many quitclaim deeds are basically useless because someone screwed up the paperwork. Wrong legal description. Misspelled name. Missing notary stamp. Forgot a witness signature.

These aren’t “oops, we can fix that real quick” situations. They make deeds not legally valid.

And you won’t find out until you’re already under contract and the title company starts digging.

How Do Mortgage Lenders View Quitclaim Deeds

Lenders see quitclaim deeds and basically run in the other direction. Can you blame them? They’re about to hand over $350,000 for a property, and the only proof of ownership is a document that literally says “no guarantees, good luck.”

That’s a hard pass for most of them.

The whole point of a mortgage is that the property is collateral. If the title’s sketchy and someone else shows up with a claim, the lender’s totally screwed. They can’t foreclose properly and sell it to recoup their money. They just lost a massive chunk of change.

FHA and VA loans won’t touch it with a ten-foot pole. Conventional lenders are super picky and start demanding enhanced title searches, extra insurance, and affidavits. Half the time, they just deny the loan because it’s easier than dealing with the headache.

So now your buyer pool is basically limited to cash buyers or people with really flexible portfolio lenders. That’s a way smaller pool than if you had a clean warranty deed.

A smaller buyer pool means fewer offers, which usually means lower prices. It’s just how it works.

If quitclaim deed issues are limiting your buyers, we can help. Revival Homebuyer buys houses as-is and makes fair cash offers, so you can sell quickly without lender delays. Contact us for a no-obligation offer.

Steps to Take Before Selling a House in Riverview, FL with a Quitclaim Deed

You need to address problems before selling a house in Riverview, FL, with a quitclaim deed. Here are the steps you should take. 

Step 1: Review Your Quitclaim Deed and Property Records

Read the entire quitclaim deed. Check that your name is spelled correctly and that the address is correct. Look at the legal description and see if it actually makes sense or if it’s some nonsense from 1987.

Then go online to the Hillsborough County property records. You can do this from your couch in your pajamas. Look at who owned the property before you, and before them, and keep going back.

You’re hunting for weird stuff. Like if the property ping-ponged between five different owners in two years. Or if someone’s name is spelled three different ways across other documents.

Anything that makes you go Huh, that’s odd needs to get flagged now.

Step 2: Get a Title Search

Pay for a professional title search before you list the house. Yes, it costs a few hundred bucks, but it’s way cheaper than having a deal fall apart at closing.

A title company will dig through decades of public records and find problems you didn’t even know existed. They may discover ancient liens from contractors who worked on the house in 2003 and gaps in the chain of ownership. They can also find paperwork that was filed incorrectly twenty years ago.

You want to know about this stuff now while you can still fix it. Not when you’ve got a buyer ready to close, and suddenly everyone’s panicking.

Step 3: Resolve Any Title Defects or Disputes

If you find problems, you need to deal with them. This is where you really need a real estate attorney, not some random answer from ChatGPT.

Sometimes you need what’s called a quiet title action. It’s basically a lawsuit in which you ask a judge to declare that you own the property officially. Takes months and isn’t cheap, but it clears up ownership disputes for good.

If you have liens, you’ll need to pay them off or negotiate settlements. Tax liens aren’t negotiable. Those have to be paid in full. Old contractor liens might be a different story if enough time has passed.

Sometimes the fix is stupid simple. Like a name that’s misspelled just needs one corrective deed, and you’re done. But don’t try to do this yourself. Get someone who knows Florida real estate law inside out.

Step 4: Clear Any Outstanding Liens or Mortgages

No buyer on earth is taking on your property’s debt. You have to clear this stuff before you sell.

You should start with property taxes because those come first, no matter what. Call Hillsborough County and find out if you owe anything.

Then look for mechanics’ liens, HOA liens, and judgment liens. Anything that could be attached to the title. Get a professional lien search to ensure you don’t miss anything.

If you still owe money on a mortgage, get the exact payoff amount from your lender. You need to know this number to figure out if selling even makes sense financially after everything gets paid.

Step 5: Consider Title Insurance

Title insurance isn’t some nice-to-have thing when you’ve got a quitclaim deed. It’s essential if you want any chance of selling to someone with a mortgage.

There are two types. Owner’s title insurance protects you. Lender’s title insurance protects the buyer’s mortgage company. That second one is what most lenders require before they’ll hand over any money.

A lot of title insurance companies will take one look at your quitclaim deed and back out. The ones willing to work with you might exclude so much that the policy covers little of use.

Be patient and shop around. Some companies are way more comfortable with complicated situations. If you can show solid proof that the title is actually clean, you’ll have better luck getting real coverage.

Step 6: Obtain a Warranty Deed if Possible

This is the secret weapon if you can pull it off. If the person who quitclaimed the property to you is still around and you’re on decent terms, ask them to give you a warranty deed instead.

A warranty deed means they’re legally guaranteeing the title was clean when they transferred it. That changes everything for buyers and lenders. You no longer have a risky quitclaim situation.

Obviously, this won’t work for everyone. If your ex-spouse quitclaimed the house to you during a terrible divorce, good luck getting them to cooperate now. But if it’s your parents or a sibling, and you still talk to them, it’s really worth asking.

You’ll need an attorney to prepare the new deed correctly. But if it solves your title problems, it’s worth every penny.

Step 7: Gather All Property Documentation

Organize every piece of paper related to this property. They need to be placed in one folder. The quitclaim deed. Any previous deeds you can find. Tax statements. Insurance policies. Old surveys.

If you renovated the bathroom three years ago, find those permits and contractor invoices. Same with paying off a lien. Find the release documents proving it’s been satisfied.

The more paperwork you have ready, the more legit you look to potential buyers. It shows you’re not trying to hide anything. You’re not some sketchy seller hoping nobody asks too many questions.

This gives buyers actual confidence that you know what you’re doing.

Challenges You Might Face Selling a House in Riverview, FL with a Quitclaim Deed

Even when you do everything right, selling with a quitclaim deed is more complicated than a regular sale. Here’s what you’re probably going to run into.

Buyer Hesitation and Financing Issues

When buyers hear the term “quitclaim deed,” they immediately get spooked. Their real estate agent will probably tell them to keep looking. Their attorney will definitely say Walk away.

The few who stick around will be super cautious. They’ll want proof of everything. Documentation for every single detail. And they’ll push you to lower your price because they’re taking on risk.

Then there’s the lender situation. You could find a buyer who genuinely loves your house and wants to make it work, but their mortgage company kills the deal.

The underwriter sees the quitclaim deed and just says no. Happens all the time.

This is why many sellers turn to investor home buyers in Riverview and the surrounding cities in Florida. These buyers purchase properties as-is, understand title situations like quitclaim deeds, and don’t rely on traditional lenders, which can help you avoid delays, price reductions, and canceled contracts.

Lower Offers Due to Title Concerns

Buyers factor in the risk of a quitclaim deed when they make offers. You might see numbers that are 10% to 20% below what comparable houses are selling for. Some investors will lowball you hard because they figure you’re stuck.

It’s annoying, but that quitclaim deed makes your property less valuable to most buyers.

Perceived risk reduces what people are willing to pay, even if the actual risk is pretty small.

Extended Closing Timelines

Nothing about this process moves quickly. Title companies take forever because they’re being extra careful. Lenders need weeks longer than usual to review everything, and attorneys want to triple-check every single document.

A typical closing is 30 days. Yours could stretch to 60 or 90 days if problems keep popping up.

Extended closings are deal killers. Buyers start having second thoughts, and they find other properties they like better. They get tired of waiting and bail. The longer things drag out, the less likely you are to actually make it to closing.

Limited Buyer Pool

Most buyers need mortgages, and most mortgage companies won’t touch properties with quitclaim deed issues. So you’re left with cash buyers and investors who specialize in complicated situations.

That’s a way smaller group of potential buyers. Fewer buyers mean less competition. Less competition means lower offers and zero leverage on your end.

You can’t play multiple offers against each other to drive up the price. You don’t get to be picky about terms. And the cash buyers who do show interest know they’re basically your only option. They’re not going to overpay just because they feel bad for you.

Can You Get a Mortgage on a Home with Quitclaim Deeds in Florida?

Mortgages and quitclaim deeds don’t mix well. Like, at all.

Most mortgage lenders hate quitclaim deeds because they’re lending you hundreds of thousands of dollars based on the property being solid collateral. A quitclaim deed tells them nothing about whether you actually have clean ownership.

FHA loans won’t touch it, either, as do VA loans. Conventional mortgages get super picky, and most of the time, just say no thanks.

The lender’s primary concern is that, if you default, they can foreclose and sell the property to recover their money. But what if there’s some hidden ownership issue? What if someone else shows up claiming they actually own part of the house? The lender’s stuck holding a mess they can’t easily unload.

Some portfolio lenders might work with you if you can prove the title is clean. But they’re going to charge higher interest rates and require bigger down payments because of the risk.

If someone needs a mortgage to buy your house, you’re going to have a tough time unless you can clear up the title issues first.

This is why cash buyers become your main option when selling property that came through quitclaim deeds.

Selling a House in Riverview, FL with a Quitclaim Deed to Cash Buyers

Cash buyers can help you when you’re dealing with quitclaim deed situations. They don’t need lender approval, so half the roadblocks just disappear, especially when working with cash house buyers in Orlando, Riverview, and other cities in Florida.

Real estate investors who buy houses for cash often see quitclaim-deed properties. They’re not scared of them like traditional buyers are. They’ve got attorneys who know how to verify ownership and handle title issues.

Here’s why cash buyers make sense for quitclaim deed situations:

✓ No mortgage approval means no underwriter freaking out about your title

✓ They close in two to three weeks instead of two to three months

✓ No appraisal contingencies that could kill the deal.

✓ They’ve got experience with complicated title situations.

✓ No financing falling through at the last second.

✓ They handle title issues as part of their everyday business.

✓ You don’t deal with the endless paperwork that lenders require.

✓ No anxious waiting to see if the loan gets approved.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can I Sell a House with a Quitclaim Deed in Riverview, FL, Without a Lawyer?

Technically, yes, but you’re making things way harder on yourself. A real estate attorney can review your title, spot problems you didn’t know existed, and fix them before they kill your sale. They handle corrective deeds, lien negotiations, and quiet title actions. Dealing with this without legal help is asking for trouble when an attorney costs less than a failed sale.

How Long Does It Take to Sell Property with a Claim Deed in Florida?

Way longer than normal. A typical sale takes 30 to 45 days. With a quitclaim deed, you’re looking at 60 to 90 days minimum, sometimes more if problems keep appearing. Title searches take longer, lenders need extra documentation, and attorneys review everything twice. Cash buyers speed things up because they don’t go through the mortgage approval process.

Will I Need to Pay Taxes When Selling a Home with a Quitclaim Deed?

Yeah, you’ll owe taxes, and the quitclaim deed makes figuring out your cost basis difficult. You might owe capital gains tax on the profit, plus Florida documentary stamp taxes based on the sale price. How you received the property affects your tax calculation. Get a tax professional to help you avoid overpaying or running into IRS problems.

What’s the Difference Between a Quitclaim Deed and a Title in Real Estate?

The title is your actual ownership rights to the property. A quitclaim deed is just one type of document used to transfer those rights from one person to another. The deed is the paperwork; the title is the ownership itself. The problem is that a quitclaim deed doesn’t guarantee the person giving you the title actually had legitimate ownership to transfer.

Do I Need to Disclose the Quitclaim Deed to Potential Buyers?

Yes. Florida law requires you to disclose material facts about the property, and receiving ownership definitely qualifies as such. Hiding the quitclaim deed and hoping nobody notices is a terrible idea that could land you in legal trouble. Buyers will find out during the title search anyway, so being upfront from the start builds trust and avoids deals falling apart later.

Can I Refinance a House I Got Through a Quitclaim Deed?

Getting a refinance on a property you received through a quitclaim deed is challenging but not impossible. Some lenders want to see that you’ve held a clear title for at least a year before they’ll consider refinancing. That said, you’ll need to prove your ownership is legitimate with a clean title search. You probably need title insurance, too. Some lenders won’t touch it at all, while others might approve it with higher interest rates.

What Happens If Someone Else Claims They Own My Property?

If someone shows up with a competing ownership claim, you’ll need a quiet title action to resolve it in court. The judge will review all the deeds and documentation to determine who actually owns the property. This process takes months and costs thousands in legal fees, which is precisely why buyers get so nervous about quitclaim deed properties in the first place.

Key Takeaways: Can I Sell a House with a Quitclaim Deed in Riverview, FL

You can sell your Riverview house with a quitclaim deed, but you’ll face challenges that regular sellers don’t. You should get a title search done early and clear up any ownership or lien issues. Be realistic about your buyer pool shrinking to mostly cash buyers.

The process takes longer, and offers will likely come in below market value, but that is better than sitting on a property you can’t sell for months on end.

If you want to avoid the uncertainty and just move forward, Revival Homebuyer specializes in buying houses with quitclaim deeds in Riverview. We handle the title complications and can close quickly. Call us at (813) 548-3674 or fill out the form below to discuss your situation.