Real Property Flashcards
Estates
Interest in real property
Real Property
Land, sub-surface rights, air rights, fixtures
Fixtures
Attached to the land “by its roots”, ex kitchen cabinets
What type of property is a corporate building?
Real Property
What type of property is a farm field?
Real Property
What type of property is a house?
Real Property
What type of property is a well or septic system?
Real Property
What type of property are kitchen cabinets?
Fixtures
What type of property is a mobile home?
Depends, if it can be actively moved it’s personal property
What type of property are vehicles?
Personal property, not part of land
Freehold Property Rights
Own the land, legal title to it, can use, hold, or sell
Non-Freehold Property Rights
Mere possession not ownership (lease)
Future Interest Property Rights
Take possession in the future
Present Possessory Property Rights
Currently have the right to own/possess
Non-Possessory Property Rights
Right to use, not possess
Easements (cable company running cables through your land)
Fee Simple Absolute Ownership
Present possessory, holder has the possessory rights, present and future, can be given in inheritance (heirs), potentially infinite duration, assumed by court, can do whatever you want
Defeasible Fee
Present possessory, conditional ownership, “To A so long as condition XYZ is met. If not met then it goes to B”
Could hold forever if condition is always met
Reversion
Future interest property rights, if condition fails to be met in defeasible fee, property goes back to grantor
Remainder
Future interest property rights, if condition fails to be met in defeasible fee, property goes to 3rd party (city)
Life Estate
An estate for the life of one or more people
“To B for Life”
One lives on estate until death then property reverts back to heirs (reversion or remainder after death)
How to sell life estate property
To get to fee simple absolute must buy out person living there and future heirs
Duties of a life tenant
Repair/preserve land/structures, pay taxes, not waste
What is property waste?
injure the future interest (letting the property rot), voluntary waste, permissive waste
Deed
Document that serves as title, filed with the register of deeds, includes names of grantors and grantees, consideration ($), legal description, signitures, notary seal, notice of mortgage or encumbrance (Banks take care of this part, new mortgage for each homeowner, “will not pay outstanding mortgage)