Property and Real Estate Law

Chain of title is the recorded sequence of ownership transfers and interests affecting a property.

A deed restriction is a recorded limitation on how real property may be used, transferred, built on, or maintained.

Understand easement appurtenant as a property right tied to ownership of benefited land.

Learn how an easement in gross benefits a person or entity rather than a neighboring parcel.

Understand encumbrances as liens, easements, covenants, or other burdens affecting property rights.

Exclusive possession is the right to occupy or control property to the exclusion of others, subject to the governing legal relationship.

Fee simple is a broad form of real-property ownership that can continue indefinitely and be transferred, inherited, or sold.

Understand fixtures as items attached to land or buildings that may be treated as real property.

Joint tenancy is a form of shared property ownership that may include a right of survivorship depending on the deed and state law.

A land use variance is permission to use or develop property in a way that differs from otherwise applicable zoning rules.

A lease renewal extends an existing lease or creates a new lease term after the current term ends.

A life estate is a property interest that lasts for the lifetime of a specified person and then passes to another interest holder.

A notice of entry tells a tenant that the landlord or authorized person intends to enter the rental premises for a stated purpose.

A notice to quit is a formal notice telling a tenant or occupant to leave the premises or cure an issue by a stated deadline.

Understand partition actions as court cases that divide or sell property owned by more than one person.

Learn how a quiet title action asks a court to resolve competing claims or defects affecting title.

Understand quitclaim deeds as property-transfer documents that convey whatever interest the grantor has.

Learn how recording acts use public land records to resolve competing property claims.

Rent escrow is an arrangement where rent is paid into a court or approved account while a landlord-tenant dispute is pending.

A right of first refusal gives a holder the chance to match or accept terms before property is sold or transferred to someone else.

A right of way is a legal right to pass over or use another person's land for a specific access purpose.

Tenancy by the entirety is a form of property ownership for married spouses in some states, often including survivorship and special creditor rules.

Learn how tenancy in common lets co-owners hold separate shares of the same property.

Learn how warranty deeds transfer property with title promises that differ from quitclaim deeds.

Adverse possession is the doctrine under which someone who openly possesses land for the required period may gain legal rights in it.

Understand constructive eviction and how serious landlord interference can effectively force a tenant to leave.

A covenant is a binding promise tied to land or a real-estate relationship that restricts or requires certain uses or actions.

A deed is the legal instrument used to transfer ownership or another real-property interest from one party to another.

An easement is a nonpossessory legal right to use another person's land for a limited purpose.

Eviction is the legal process a landlord uses to recover possession of property from a tenant or occupant.

Learn what an eviction notice is and why notice requirements matter before a landlord seeks removal of a tenant.

Learn what a holdover tenant is and why remaining in possession after the tenancy ends can trigger landlord remedies.

A landlord is the owner or lessor who grants a tenant the right to occupy property under a lease or rental agreement.

Learn what a lease is, why it matters in landlord-tenant law, and how it differs from a deed or month-to-month tenancy.

A lien is a legal claim against property that secures payment of a debt or obligation.

Learn what a month-to-month tenancy is and how it differs from a fixed-term lease in landlord-tenant law.

This section explains ownership, title, land-use, and landlord-tenant terms that shape real property rights and disputes.

Understand quiet enjoyment and how serious interference with possession can affect landlord-tenant rights.

Understand what a security deposit is and why deposit disputes are common in landlord-tenant law.

Understand what a sublease is and how it differs from the original lease relationship between landlord and tenant.

A tenant is the person or entity with the legal right to occupy property under a lease or rental arrangement.

Title refers to the legal ownership interest in real property and the rights that come with it.

Understand unlawful detainer and how it fits into eviction litigation when a tenant remains in possession without legal right.

Learn what the warranty of habitability means and why landlords may have a duty to provide livable residential premises.

Zoning is the legal system that regulates how land in specific areas may be used or developed.