Property & Future Interest Flashcards
Tenancy for Years
Leasehold estate where there is a present possessory interest in the leased land and he landlord has a reversion. There is a labeled end date.
Tenancy in Common
Default result under modern law. No right of survivorship. Can devise and decent property. It is alienable.
Joint Tenancy
Right of survivorship. Each person owns an undivided share—four Untites: Time (interest at the same time), title (interest acquired by the same instrument), interest (interest of the same type and duration), and possession (interest gives identical rights to enjoyment). At common law, it was held that any conveyance to two or more persons was presumed to create a joint tenancy unless a contrary intention was clearly expressed. Can’t devise in a will.
Tenancy by the enitrety
Marital. Right of survivorship. Four unities: TIme title, interest, possession plus marraige.
Sever of Joint Tenancy
- Suit for partition
- Inter vivos transfer
- Execution of Mortgage in Title Theory state (minority)
- When there is only one joint tenant left Transferee takes as tenancy in common.
However, an exception is when the court refuses to relate back an acceptance where it would defeat the rights of intervening third parties like joint tenants. Accepting after death does not sever.
Lien Theory for Joint Tenancy
The mortgage doesn’t sever the joint tenancy and when the borrower dies, other partners take the land free and clear or mortgage.
Every Conveyance of Real Estate Requires
- Land Contract that conveys equitable title
- Closing where the deed passes legal title
SOF in Land Sale Contract Requirements
- Signed by the party being sued
- Identify both parties
- Describe the Property
- The price or a way to determine the price
Part Performance Exception to SOF
Oral Contract by specific performance when:
1. Contract is certain and clear
2. Acts prove the existence of a contract.
Usually need 2/3: Having possession of the land, making updates, paying a significant portion
When is a title unmarketable
- Defects in the Record chain of title
- Encumbrances
- Zoning Violations.
An easement that reduces the value of the property, such as an easement of way for the benefit of a neighbor, renders the title unmarketable
Types of Deeds
- Quitclaim2. General Warranty 3. Special Warranty
Types of Recording Statutes
- Race 2. Notice3. Race Notice. Usually don’t protect judgment liens.
Sublease
A transfer of a lease for part of the term, not the entire term. The tenant is not privity of contract or estate with the landlord. The new tenant is in the privity of the estate with the original tenant.
Assignment of Lease
A transfer for the entire remaining term of the lease. An assignment does not release the tenant from his contractual obligations to the landlord.
Tenancy at Will
A leasehold estate that is voidable by 1. Either Party dies2. Tennant commits waste3. Tennant attempts to assign to someone else4. Landlord transfers his interest in the property5. Landlord does a lease to a third party
Novation
Substitutes the original party with a third party at the agreement of both original parties
Prescriptive Easement
the use must be open and notorious, continuous and uninterrupted for the statutory period, and adverse
Easement Surcharge
The easement’s legal scope was exceeded. This does not terminate the easement and the servant owner can sue to enjoin its use.
Quasi Easement
Easement implied by operation of law
When can an easement be implied?
Prior to the time tract is divided there is a use on the servant part that is reasonably necessary for the dominant part and the court determines that part is necessary.
Easement by Necessity
The owner of a tract of land sells a tract of land and deprives someone of public roads or utilities. Usually not in writing. The owner of the servient parcel has the right to locate the easement but not to deny it.
Easement Appurtenant
the right of special use benefits the easement holder in the enjoyment of her land. Need two properties!
Joint Tenancy 4 Unitied TTIP
TimeTitleIdentical InterestPossession of the whole
Severance of a joint tenancy SAP
SaleAndPartition
Tenant Breaches Lease By Leaving SIR
Landlord can SurrenderIgnore (minority)Re-let (must try this first)
Breach By Constructive Eviction SING
Substantial InterferenceNoticeGoodbye
Tenants Entitlements when Implied warranty of habitability is breach MR3
MoveRepairReduceRemain
Caveat Lessee Exceptions CLAPS
Common AreasLatent DefectsAssumption of Repairs Public use RuleShort term lease of a furnished dwelling
Express Creation of Affirmative Easements
An easement with the right to do something on someone else’s land. This is created expressly when the parties to the original creation of the use specifically state the location of the easement, its dimensions, and the special use or limits to such use, the courts will honor this expression of specific intent. it will be assumed that the parties intend the easement to meet both present and future reasonable needs of the dominant tenement.
What Are Negative Easements? LASS
LightAir SupportStream water
Real covenant burden runs to successor when WITHN
Writing Intent Touch & Concern Horizontal and Vertical Privity Notice
Real Covenant Benefit runs to successor when WITV
Writing Intent Touch & Concern Vertical Privity
Equitable Servitude binds successor when WITN
WritingIntent {for successors be bound}Touch & Concern {Benifits the burdened land}Notice {Record, Actual, or Inquiry}NO NEED FOR HORIZONTAL OR VERTICAL PRIVITY. An enforceable equitable servitude requires that the covenanting parties intended the servitude to be enforceable against successors in interest, the successor in interest must have notice of the covenant, and the covenant must touch and concern the land.
Easement By Prescription COAH
Continuous and Uninterrupted use Open and Notorious Actual useHostile Use
Termination of Easements END CRAMP
Estoppel
Necessity
Destruction
Condemnation
Release
Abandonment
Merger
Prescription
Notice for Common Scheme OR for record AIR
Actual Inquiry Record
Adverse Possession OCEANS
Open and Notorious
Continuous
Exclusive
Actual
Non-Permissive
Statutory Period.
The statute of limitations that determines the time period for adverse possession does not run against the holder of a future interest (e.g., a remainder) until that interest becomes possessory, because the holder of the future interest has no right to possession (and thus no cause of action against a wrongful possessor) until the prior present estate terminates.
Two or more people can work together to take title by adverse possession, and if they meet the requirements, they take as tenants in common. Heirs can take interest of the one party.
To pass Legal Title from grantor to grantee the deed must LEAD
Lawfully executed And Delivered (acceptance is presumed in most states, this is rebutted when the grantee expressly refuses). Delivery of a deed can’t be canceled but it can be rejected.
A deed is not effective to transfer an interest in realty unless it has been delivered. Delivery refers to the grantor’s intent. There must be words or conduct showing the grantor intended that the deed have some present operative effect- that title pass immediately and irrevocably, even though the right of possession may be postponed. If the right of possession is to be postponed until the grantor’s death, the deed may be held “testamentary” and therefore void (unless executed with testamentary formalities). However, most courts hold that if the grantor executes a deed and gives it to another with instructions to give it to the grantee upon the grantor’s death, the grantor’s intent was to presently convey a future interest to the grantee (either a remainder, with a life estate reserved in the grantor, or an executory interest), and so the gift is inter vivos, not testamentary. To make an effective delivery, the grantor must relinquish absolute and unconditional control.
When does a class close?
When someone in a class has a possessory interest
When are landlords liable for latent defects?
Short Term rentals that are furnished. Otherwise, only liable when they knew or should have known of the defects.
Holdover Tenant
A tenant who stays beyond the expiration of the lease
What type of tenancy does a holdover tenant take & how long does it last?
Periodic Tenancy.
Residential: month to Month
Commercial: Mirror the past lease, usually year to year, can’t be longer because SOF
The price can be increased if notice was given prior to end of lease
How much does a holdover tenant have to pay in rent?
The previous price unless notified prior to the expiration of the rent increase, then they pay the increase.
When can a license be revoked?
At anytime even you pay value for it.
When is an easement by necessity in writing?
NEVER
Equitable Servitude
An equitable servitude is a covenant that regardless if it runs with the land can be enforced in equity against the successor of the burdened land unless the successor is a BFP (for value w/o notice).
Covenant
A promise to do or to do something with the land that when applicable is enforced by monetary damages NOT IN EQUITY.
When is equitable servitude allowed to be oral?
when they are negative reciprocal agreements that are for a common scheme for development and the grantee had notice of the covenant (AIR)
Common Scheme for Development (for covenants/Equitable servitudes)
plan existing at the time sales of the subdivided parcel began that all parcels be developed within the terms of the negative covenant. These are implied when there is a notice by the grantee. Zoning regulations and restrictive covenants in private deeds are completely separate concepts. Both must be complied with, and neither provides any excuse for violating the other. Thus, a variance from the government regulation does not prevent enforcement of the private covenant.
Differences between Equitable Servitude and Real Covenant?
A real covenant is enforced with damages and horizontal privity is needed to enforce the burden. Equitable servitudes are enforced in equity and no horizontal privity is needed.
When is an equitable servitude enforceable without notice?
When the new owner is a donee or heir notice is not necessary.
General Warranty Deed
Assures six covenants: the right to seisin, the right to convey, a covenant against encumbrances, the covenant of quiet enjoyment, the covenant of further assurances, and a general warranty.
Quitclaim Deed
Conveys whatever interest, if any, the grantor has in the property
Mutual Right of Endorsement
Each lot owner can enforce against every other lot owner when a subdivision is created with similar covents and there is a common scheme of development and there was notice of the covenant
What happens when some deeds contain negative covenants and others don’t?
The negative covenant is enforced if there is a common scheme or notice
Implied Covenant of Marketability
Implied in every land sale contract, ensures that the seller will provide marketable title at closing.
When does a seller have to satisfy a mortgage to leave the title marketable?
After closing is fine because might be using the proceeds from the sale to pay off mortgage. This is allowed when the proceeds are enough to pay off the mortgage and are done through the use of escrows
Is a visible/known beneficial easement an encumbrance?
No, but ones that aren’t for utility and aren’t visible might be.
When will an encroachment not affect the marketability of a title?
When it’s very slight and does not inconvenience the owner, the encroached upon has indicated he will not sue on it or it has existed for so long that it has become legal by adverse possession.
What to do when a title is unmarketable?
The buyer must notify the seller and give reasonable time to cure the defects, you can extend closing date. You can’t sue for defects or rescind the contract unless they aren’t cured. If this is discovered after closing, you can’t sue for the unmarketable title because closing extinguished any contract claims.
What happens when a mortgage exists on the property when a real estate contract is signed?
The mortgage remains on the land and encumbers the title, but does not hold the new buyer liable for payments. If the buyer takes subject to the mortgage, the buyer is liable and the original mortgage is also secondarily liable.
How to cure a defect as to the quantity of land conveyed?
Pro Rata abatement of the price
What result in a remedy of specific performance in a land sale contract?
The seller is ordered to convey the title to the buyer and the buyer must tender the purchase price. If the seller can’t bring a marketable title, the price can be taken down to account for defects.
Marketable Title
A title that is free from doubt (encumbrances) and with a good record title.