Which deed makes covenants about the property only for the time it was owned by the grantors?

The special warranty deed is characterized by providing limited covenants regarding the property's title. It guarantees that the grantor holds title for the period of their ownership and that the property has not been encumbered by their actions during that time. This means that the grantor only warrants the title against defects that may have arisen during their ownership of the property, rather than from previous owners.

This limited scope of warranty is what distinguishes the special warranty deed from other types of deeds, such as the general warranty deed, which offers broad protections that cover the entire chain of title back to the property's origins. The special warranty deed thus serves as a compromise, providing some assurance to the buyer while also limiting the grantor's liability for issues that precede their ownership.

All other types of deeds, such as quitclaim deeds or bargain and sale deeds, do not provide the same level of assurance regarding the title; quitclaim deeds offer no warranties at all, merely transferring whatever interest the grantor has, and bargain and sale deeds imply some level of ownership but don't provide the same warranties against defects.