Illinois Real Estate Practice Exam

Which individual must sign a deed for it to be considered valid?

1. Grantee

2. Grantor

3. Optionee

4. Optionor

The correct answer is: Grantor

For a deed to be considered valid, it is essential for the grantor, who is the party transferring ownership, to sign the document. The signature of the grantor indicates their intention to convey the property to the grantee. Without the grantor’s signature, the deed cannot be executed, which means the transfer of ownership is not legally recognized. The grantee, while needing to be named in the deed, does not need to sign it for the transfer to be valid. The roles of optionee and optionor pertain to options in contracts, which are not directly relevant to the validity of a deed. Thus, the signature of the grantor is the critical component for a valid deed.