Legal Dictionary

words of purchase

Legal Definition of words of purchase

Noun

  1. Words which specifically name the person to whom land is being conveyed. The property is conveyed to specifically and by name in a legal act such as a conveyance or will. This would preclude, for example, transfer as a result of intestacy.

See also


Definition of words of purchase

Further reading

"Words of purchase" are words in a grant or conveyance of a freehold estate which designate the persons who receive the grant. Words of purchase are contrasted with words of limitation, which describe the extent, or quality, or duration of the estate he acquires. For example, in a deed to Whiteacre "To A for life," To A are words of purchase, for life are words of limitation.

The term words of purchase is a technical conveyancing expression, a term of art in real property law that has nothing to do with the ordinary meanings of the word purchase. The word purchase in the expression means that real property is being transferred by deed or will, not inherited through the laws of descent and distribution. Whether the property is bought or given away, if the transfer is by deed or will, it is a purchase in this usage. The act or process of acquiring real property by deed or will is called taking by purchase, even though it was a gift. The person who acquires real property by deed or will is called a purchaser, even though this person may have paid nothing.

References:

  1. Wiktionary. Published under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.



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