Updated August 23, 2023
A Mississippi deed is a legal form used to convey or transfer real estate in Mississippi. The person selling the land is called the “grantor” and the person buying the land is called the “grantee”. When purchasing property, it is important to understand the history of the property, because there may be issues related to the property that may affect your ownership, such as an undischarged mortgage or a right of way. These issues can be found by completing a title search or property search.
Laws – Title 89 – Real and Personal Property
Recording (Miss. Code Ann. § 89-5-1) – All deeds are to be recorded at the Clerk of the Chancery Clerk’s Office.
Signing (Miss. Code Ann. §§ 89-3-1, 89-3-7) – All deeds to be recorded must be witnesses in the presence of a notary public.
Telephone Number (Miss. Code Ann. § 27-3-51(2)) – All deeds to be filed in the State of Mississippi must include the telephone number of the Grantee and Grantor.
Deed Types (4)
General Warranty – A general warranty deed conveys property to a buyer with a guarantee from the seller that the property has no hidden encumbrances.
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Quit Claim – This type of deed also conveys property but with no guarantee that the grantor has clear title to the property.
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Special Warranty – A special warranty has a limited guarantee that the property has no hidden encumbrances arising from the time the grantor owned the property.
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Transfer on Death – A transfer on death deed is an estate planning tool and can be used to transfer title to real property.
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Mississippi Property Search (5 steps)
In Mississippi, to conduct a property search, you will need to go to the chancery court clerk in the county in which the property is located. That is where they have the land records. For a fee, you can search the records and obtain copies of documents. There are some counties that have searchable databases. The following is an example of one such county and how you would go about beginning a property search:
Step 1
First, go to Jackson County’s land records page.
Step 2
Click on “Jackson County Land Records Portal” (as an example)
Step 3
Click on “Real Estate” and “Search Real Estate Index”
Step 4
Enter the grantor’s name under “Grantee” (you want to go back to the deed granting grantor the land – he or she would have been the grantee) then click “search”:
Step 5
Once you have found the deed you are looking for, you would then do a search of the previous grantor as grantee and so on until you have gone back 50 years. You would then do the search for the deed 50 years ago, searching each grantor until you come to the present.