[WSBARP] defective deed in chain of title

[Douglas Owens]

Dear list mates, I have an interesting question.  Property is in Mason County.  A 1994 deed purported to transfer the property based on a legal description that was partial in that it referred to a division and lot in a named plat but did not specify the volume and page where the plat was recorded, nor was there a parcel number or street address for the property.  A 2008 deed purported to convey the same property by stating for the legal description that it “was as described’ in the 1994 deed, without any additional information, also without street address or parcel number.  My client has negotiated to buy the property which is valued at only $800 because it is a greenbelt but I do not have confidence that his grantor has anything to convey because of the defective legal descriptions in the chain of title.  Is this something that can be corrected other than by having the first grantor in the chain of title re execute the deed that was recorded in 1994?  Thank you for your help.  Yours truly, Doug Owens