Premises Clause Prevails Over Habendum Clause in a Deed/Failure to Expressly Label Parties and Include the Parties’ Addresses Does Not Invalidate a Deed
The Third Department determined that where there is a conflict between the premises clause and the habendum clause in a deed, the premises clause prevails. Here the premises clause clearly indicated the creation of a life estate with the remainder interest going to decedent’s only children. The habendum clause indicated the decedent conveyed the property to “[defendant] and assigns forever.” The court also noted that the failure to label the parties and include the parties’ addresses in a deed does not invalidate the deed, although it may preclude recording of the deed:
…[T]he rules of construction applicable to deeds provide that where there is a conflict between the provisions set forth in the premises clause and those in the habendum clause relative to the extent of the conveyance, the premises clause will control, absent a clear indication of a contrary intent elsewhere in the deed … . Here, the premises clause provides that the remainder interest in the property is conveyed to plaintiffs, and nothing in the deed other than the habendum clause suggests that decedent had a contrary intent. …
Contrary to defendant’s assertion, Real Property Law § 258 did not require the deed to expressly label plaintiffs as parties or to include their addresses. The statute does not mandate the use of the deed formats that it sets forth, but instead provides that “this section does not prevent or invalidate the use of other forms” (Real Property Law § 258). Although the failure to include a party’s address may prevent a deed from being recorded, it does not operate to invalidate the underlying conveyance … . Basile v Rose, 2015 NY Slip Op 03213, 3rd Dept 4-16-15