ESTATES IN LAND

An estate in land is an interest in real property that is presently or may become possessory.
Present Possessory Estates
A freehold estate gives the owner of the estate title to or a right to hold the property. A non-freehold estate gives mere
possession.
Types of Freehold Estates a. Fee Simple Absolute

A fee simple absolute is the largest possible estate in land, denoting the aggregate of all possible rights that a person
may have in that parcel of land, including:
the unimpeded right to sell or convey all or part of the property; and
the unimpeded right to devise the property.
A fee simple absolute may last in perpetuity. If the owner of a fee simple absolute dies intestate, the property will pass to
the owners heirs by intestacy.
The following words are traditionally used to create a fee simple absolute: O conveys to A and his heirs.
Words of purchase describe the persons, called purchasers, who take an interest under a grant or device. Words of
limitation describe the nature of the estate taken by the purchasers.
At early common law, the words to A and his heirs were required to create a fee simple absolute.
However, under modern law, a fee simple absolute is generally presumed when the words to A are used.
Defeasible Estates
A defeasible estate is an estate that may terminate before its maximum dura-tion has run.
Fee Simple Determinable
A determinable estate terminates automatically on the happening of a named future event.
A determinable estate is described with the following words:
for so long as;
during;
while; or
until.
A determinable estate is created:
in one clause; and
with a limitation built into that one clause.

A determinable estate is followed by a possibility of reverter, which may be implied.

Fee Simple Subject to a Condition Subsequent

An estate subject to a condition subsequent may be cut short if the estate is retaken by the grantor or a third party on
the happening of a named future event.
The condition only gives the grantor the right to take the estate, however. It does not automatically terminate the estate
(as distin-guished from a determinable estate).
An estate subject to a condition subsequent is described with the following words:
provided, however;
however if;
but if;
on condition that; or
in the event that.
An estate subject to a condition subsequent is created:
in two separate clauses; and
with a condition stated in the second clause.

Fee Simple Subject to Executory Interest

A fee simple subject to an executory interest is an estate that is auto-matically divested in favor of a third person on
the happening of a named event.

A fee simple subject to an executory interest is followed by a shifting executory interest.

Note

This is subject to the Rule Against Perpetuities.

Fee Tail
At early common law, a fee tail was a freehold estate that descended to the grantees lineal descendants (children) only.
The following words are used to create a fee tail general: O conveys to A and the heirs of his body.
In a fee tail general, children of the grantee take when the grantee dies.
The following words are used to create a fee tail male or female: O conveys to A and the heirs [male]/[female] of his
body.
In a fee tail male or female, descent is limited to the male or female heirs of the grantee.

The following words are used to create a fee tail special: O conveys to the heirs of his body by his wife B.
In a fee tail special, descent is limited to the grantees descendants by a specific spouse.
The fee tail is followed by a reversion in the grantor or a remainder in a third party. That future interest becomes
possessory if and when the grantees lineal line has failed.
Fee tails are disfavored in modern law. Today, if the words to A and the heirs of his body are used:
in most states, the grantee gets a fee simple absolute; and
in some states, the grantee has a life estate, with a remainder per stirpes in the grantees lineal descendants in being
at the time of the life tenants death.
Unclear Grants
If the words of the grant are not clear:
a covenant is preferred over a defeasible estate because the award is money damages rather than forfeiture; and
a fee simple subject to a condition subsequent is preferred over a fee simple determinable because in the former,
forfeiture is not automatic.
Life Estate
A life estate lasts for the duration of the grantees life.
The following words are used to create a life estate: O conveys to A for life.
A life estate pur autre vie is an estate where the duration is measured by the life of someone other than the grantee.

Life estates can be made defeasible.

Duty to Repair
A life tenant has a duty to maintain the property in a reasonable state of repair, ordinary wear and tear excepted. This
duty is limited to the extent of the income derived or, if he personally occupies the premises, to the extent of the
reasonable rental value of the land.
A tenant for a term of years also has a duty to maintain the property in a reasonable state of repair, ordinary wear and
tear excepted. However, this duty is not limited to the extent of income derived or reasonable rental value discussed
above. Further, the lessees duty is now largely governed by statutes that tend to relieve at least the residential lessee
of the duty to repair.
Mortgages
The life tenant has a duty to pay the interest on a mortgage to the extent of profits derived from the property. A tenant
for years or a periodic tenant has no common law duty to make mortgage payments. However, commercial leases
often require a nonresidential tenant to pay taxes, mortgages, etc., and to make specific repairs.
Taxes
The life tenant must pay all ordinary taxes, to the extent of profits derived from the property. A tenant for years or a
periodic tenant has no common law duty to pay property taxes unless:
the lease is perpetual or for a long term with an option in the tenant and his successors to renew forever;

the tenant holds without any obligation to pay rent; or

the tenant has erected improvements on the leased premises for his own benefit.
Special Assessments
The life tenant must pay the full cost of special assessments (apparently to the extent of income derived) if the life of the
public improvement is less than the duration of the life tenants estate. Equitable apportionment is applied for
improvements likely to last longer (e.g., curbs and streets). A tenant for years or a periodic tenant has no common law
duty to pay carrying charges such as special assessments or insurance premiums.
Non-Freehold Estates
Leasehold Estate
A leasehold estate is an estate that is limited in duration.

Traditionally, the landlord was said to maintain the fee, subject to the leasehold interest.
The modern approach provides that the landlord holds a reversion following the leasehold estate.
Future Interests
Reversionary Interest
Possibility of Reverter
A possibility of reverter is a future interest in the grantor that follows a deter-minable estate.
The creation of a fee simple determinable estate automatically creates the possibility of reverter in the grantor.
At strict common law, a possibility of reverter could descend through intestacy but could not be devised or transferred
inter vivos.
Today, under the modern trend, a possibility of reverter is transferable, devis-able, and descendible (it can be
transferred by law, will, or intestacy).
The statute of limitations begins to run on a possibility of reverter as soon as the limitation occurs, because the property
automatically reverts to the grantor on the occurrence of the limitation.
A possibility of reverter is not subject to the Rule Against Perpetuities.

Right of Entry
A right of entry is a future interest in the grantor that follows a fee simple or life estate subject to a condition
subsequent.
The creation of the right of entry requires a grantor to reserve this right in the conveyance.
Upon the happening of the event, the property will not automatically revert back to the grantor. The grantor has to
exercise the right of entry and affirma-tively retake the property.
At strict common law, a right of entry could descend through intestacy but could not be devised or transferred inter
vivos.
Today, under modern law, all states agree that a right of entry is descendible, a majority of states agree that a right of
entry is devisable, and some courts hold that a right of entry is not transferable inter vivos.

The statute of limitations does not begin to run against a right of entry until the grantor attempts to exercise the right. However,
in some states, the statute of limitations begins to run against a right of entry when the condition occurs.

A right of entry is not subject to the Rule Against Perpetuities.

EXAMPLE: O conveys to A and his heirs, but if liquor is served on the prem-ises, then O and his heirs may reenter and
terminate As estate. A has a fee simple to an executory condition, and O has a right of entry. If liquor is served,

O must take affirmative steps before As estate is terminated. If O transfers his right of entry to C, Cs interest is still
defined as a right of entry, even though it is now in a third party.
EXAMPLE: O conveys to A; provided, however, that liquor may not be served on the premises. No right of entry has been
reserved. Therefore, O can-

not take the property back if liquor is served on the premises. The condition subsequent language will be stricken.
Therefore, A is left with a fee simple absolute.
Reversion
A reversion is a future interest retained by the grantor when the grantor trans-fers less than a fee interest to a third
person.
Under the majority rule, a reversion is transferable, devisable, and descendible.

Note

A reversion is not subject to the Rule Against Perpetuities.

Executory Interests
An executory interest is a future interest in a third person that cuts short the previous estate before it would have
naturally terminated.
Since a fee estate has the potential to last forever, any interest created in a third party that follows the granting of a fee
will always be an executory interest.
There are two types of executory interests.
A shifting executory interest is an interest that cuts short a prior estate created by the same conveyance. The interest
passes from one grantee to another.

A springing executory interest is an interest that follows a gap in possession or divests the estate of the
transferor. The interest passes from a grantor to a grantee.
An executory interest is transferable, descendible, and devisable.
An executory interest is subject to the Rule Against Perpetuities.

Remainders
A remainder is a future interest created in a third person which is intended to take effect after the natural
termination of the preceding estate.
Contingent Remainders
A remainder will be contingent if:
the takers are unascertained; or
the interest is subject to a condition precedent and, therefore, does not fall in automatically on the natural
termination of the previous estate.
At strict common law, a contingent remainder could descend and be devised but could not be transferred inter
vivos.
Under modern law, a contingent remainder is transferable, descendible, and devisable (except, possibly, when the
contingent remainder is in an unascer-tained person).
A contingent remainder is subject to the Rule Against Perpetuities.

Doctrine of Destructibility of Contingent Remainders

At common law, a contingent remainder in real property is destroyed by any of the following:
if it fails to vest by the natural termination of the prior vested estate;

the doctrine of merger; or

Merger occurs, and the holder of the present and future interest takes a fee simple absolute, when one party who
possesses a present or future interest in the subject realty, by subsequent transactions, obtains all outstanding present
and vested estates in that property. Situations in which this may occur include:
by surrender of the present estate to the owner of a future estate;
by release of a future estate to the owner of a present estate; or
when all holders of present and future vested interests convey all of these interests to a third party.

if the holder of the present possessory estate surrenders his interest before the contingent remainder vests.

Under modern law, many jurisdictions have abolished the rule of destructibility of contingent remainders. In those
jurisdictions, if a contingent remainder has not vested at the natural termination of the prior vested estate, the contingent
remainder will become an executory interest, subject to the Rule Against Perpetuities.

In jurisdictions that have retained the destructibility rule, it is important to distinguish between contingent
remainders, which are destructible, and execu-tory interests, which are not destructible. If a future interest is
created such that it may in some case fall in automatically at the natural termination of the previous estate, an
irrebuttable presumption will arise, causing the interest to be treated for all purposes as a contingent
remainder.

c. Vested Remainders
A vested remainder requires its takers to be ascertained or ascertainable at the time that the remainder is
created. A vested remainder also must fall in automatically at the natural termination of the previous estate,
meaning there can be no conditions precedent to taking.
A vested remainder is transferable, descendible, and devisable.
A fully vested remainder is not subject to the Rule Against Perpetuities. However, a remainder that is vested
subject to open is subject to the Rule Against Perpetuities.

Special Types of Vested Remainders

A remainder that is vested subject to open, sometimes called vested subject to partial divestment, is a
remainder that:
has been made to a class (e.g., my children); and
has at least one member who is ascertainable and who has satisfied any conditions precedent to vesting, but
may have other members join the class later.

A vested remainder subject to total divestment is presently vested but may be terminated on the happening of a
future event.

Constructional Rules
Rule in Shelleys Case
Also known as the rule against remainders in grantees heirs, the Rule in Shelleys Case arises in grants such as the
following: O conveys to A for life, remainder to the heirs of A.
The requirements for applicability of the Rule in Shelleys Case are:
A must get a freehold estate (a life estate or a fee tail);
As heirs must get a remainder in fee (or in tail);
the same instrument must create both As and As heirs interests; and
both estates must be legal or both must be equitable.
If all of these requirements are met:
A gets both a life estate and a remainder; and
by merger, A gets a fee simple and thus As heirs take nothing by virtue of the grant itself.
The Rule in Shelleys Case is a rule of law, which the court must treat as creating an irrebuttable presumption.
The Rule in Shelleys Case has been abolished by statute or judicial decision in most states.
Doctrine of Worthier Title
Also known as the rule against remainders in grantors heirs, the Doctrine of Worthier Title arises in grants such as the
following: O conveys to A for life, remainder to the heirs of O.
The requirements for applicability of the Doctrine of Worthier Title are:
A must receive an estate less than a fee simple, such as a life estate or a term of years;
Os heirs must receive a remainder (or an executory interest, in the rare case);
both interests must be created by the same instrument; and
both interests must be legal or both must be equitable.
The Doctrine of Worthier Title is a rule of construction, not law. The language leaving a remainder to Os heirs creates a
rebuttable presumption that O intended to retain that interest in himself as a reversion. This presumption may be
rebutted by clear express evidence that O did intend to create a remainder in his heirs. If the presumption is raised but
not rebutted, A gets a life estate and O retains a reversion (and thus Os heirs take nothing on their own).
Under modern law, the Doctrine of Worthier Title applies to inter vivos transfers only (the testamentary branch of the
doctrine no longer is applied).
Waste
The possessor of a life estate or a leasehold interest has the right to possess, use, and enjoy the property during the
duration of his estate. However, he may not do anything that adversely affects the future interest that follows the life
estate. An act that adversely affects the future interest is called waste.

Voluntary waste is the voluntary commission of an act that has more than a trivial injurious effect on or change in the
property. Despite the prohibition on voluntary waste, natural resources may be consumed:
for the repair and maintenance of the property;
with permission of the grantor; or

under the open mines doctrine, which applies to both life tenants and tenants for years.
If the grantor was exploiting the natural resources of the mine, it is presumed that the grantee has the right to continue
that exploitation.

Involuntary or permissive waste occurs if the life tenant or leasehold tenant permits the premises to fall into
disrepair. Involuntary waste may also occur if the life tenant fails to pay mortgage interest payments, taxes, or the
tenants share of special assessments.
Ameliorative waste occurs if an act of a life tenant increases the value of the premises by permanently altering it.
Traditionally, ameliorative waste was prohib-ited. However, under modern law, a life tenant is now allowed to
commit ameliora-tive waste if:
the market value of the remaindermans interest is not impaired; and
either:
it is permitted by the remainderman; or
a substantial and permanent change in the neighborhood has deprived the property of a reasonable current value.
A holder of a reversion has standing to sue for past or future waste. A vested remainderman also has standing to
sue for past or future waste. However, a contingent remainderman has standing to sue to prevent future waste but
not for damages for past waste.
Restraints on Alienation
A restraint on alienation is a condition placed on the ownership of real property that restricts the free conveyance
of that property.
Under a disabling restraint, A may not convey. Disabling restraints are always void.
Under a forfeiture restraint, A loses his estate if he attempts to convey. Forfeiture restraints are valid for life estates
and future interests, but are not enforceable for fee simple estates.
Under a promissory restraint, A promises not to convey. Promissory restraints are valid for life estates and future
interests, but are not enforceable for fee simple estates. The breach of a promissory restraint does not void the
convey-ance; it just makes the promisor liable for breach of contract damages.
Partial restraints may be enforced, with the court weighing the duration and number of persons excluded.
Some courts will uphold a reasonable restraint in a commercial transaction on the theory that it appears in an
agreement of the parties, is the product of their bargaining, and presumably serves a useful purpose in facilitating
the parties objectives.
Rule of Convenience
Under the Rule of Convenience, a class closes when a member of the class is entitled to distribution.
The Rule of Convenience applies to the following classes: children, grandchil-dren, brothers, sisters,
nephews, nieces, cousins, issue, descendants, or family of a designated person.
If the class is already closed at the time the gift takes effect (i.e., the time of conveyance for an inter vivos gift or time of
testators death for a will), all

members of the class at that moment will take. However, any members of the class later conceived or born will not
share in the estate.
If, at the time the gift takes effect, the class has members entitled to take immediately but the class has not previously
closed, all members of the class conceived at the time the gift is made will be included and may take; however, the class
will close to the exclusion of afterborn children, who will not share in it.

If the class has no members at the time the gift is made, all members of the class, whenever born, will be included and
may take. The class stays open until all possible members are born.

Postponed Gift to a Class (with No Condition Precedent)

If the class is already closed at the time the postponement ends (e.g., at the end of a present possessory life estate), all
members of the class will be included and will take.
If the class has members but is not yet closed at the time the postponement ends, all members of the class conceived
at the time the postponement ends will be included and may take. However, the class will close to the exclusion of
afterborn children, who may not take.
If the class has no members at the time the postponement ends, all members of the class, whenever born, will be
included and may take.

Immediate Gift to a Class Coupled with a Condition Precedent

An immediate gift to a class may be coupled with a condition precedent. In such a case, the class closes when the first
member of the class satisfies the condition. All then-born members of the class are included and may take if and when
they satisfy the condition. However, afterborn children will be excluded.

reaches 21 will be included and may take if and when they reach 21. All children born after the first child reaches
21 are excluded. If B is alive at the time the conveyance is made, and B has no children, the class will remain open.
The class will close if and when a child of B reaches 21. All children of B born at the time the first child reaches 21
will be included and may take if and when they reach 21. All children born after the first child reaches 21 are
excluded.
Gift to a Class with a Combination of Postponements
A gift to a class may be made with a combination of postponements combined with a condition precedent. In such a
case, the postponement is deemed to end, and the class closes when the last condition is satisfied. All members of
the class born before the class closes are included, and they may take if and when they satisfy the condition.
However, all afterborn persons are excluded.

Rule Against Perpetuities

The common law Rule Against Perpetuities provides that [n]o interest is good unless it must vest, if at all, not later
than 21 years after some life-in-being at the creation of the interest.
To determine whether an interest violates the common law Rule Against
Perpetuities, the following analysis should be applied:
Identify the interests subject to the Rule Against Perpetuities.
Interests which are not subject to the Rule Against Perpetuities include:
present possessory estates;
charitable trusts;
resulting trusts; and
interests that are fully vested at the time of creation. The following interests are fully vested:
reversionary interests; and
completely vested remainders.
Interests which are subject to the Rule Against Perpetuities include:
options to purchase land not incident to a lease;
powers of appointment;
rights of first refusal; and
interests that are not fully vested at the time of creation, including:
remainders that are subject to open;
contingent remainders; and
executory interests.

Identify the life or lives in being, express or implied by the instrument creating interests. There is no limit on the number
of lives in being, as long as they may be identified by or through the creating document. A life-in-being may, but need
not, receive an interest in the document that creates the interest. However, to serve as a measuring life, a life-in-being
must in some way be connected to the vesting of the interest under scrutiny.
An express life-in-being is a person named in the document that creates the interests under scrutiny. In the grant O
conveys to A for life, O and A are express lives in being.
An implied life-in-being is a person who is not named in, but may be implied from, the document that creates the
interests under scrutiny. In the devise to my grandchildren, the testators children are implied lives in being.
A class cannot be used as measuring lives unless the class is closed at the time the gifts are created.
Determine whether the interest will vest or fail within 21 years of the life or lives. Under the common law Rule Against
Perpetuities, interests are analyzed under the might have been rule. Under the might have been rule, an interest violates
the Rule Against Perpetuities if there is any chance, however remote, that the interest might vest more than 21 years after a
life-in-being.

Under the might-have-been rule, interests are scrutinized at the time of creation. The time of creation is the date that
the creating instrument takes effect. If the interests under scrutiny are created in a deed, the time of creation is the date
that the deed is delivered. If the interests under scrutiny are created in a will, the time of creation is the date of the
testa-tors death.
Treat the part of the gift that violated the Rule Against Perpetuities as void, leaving the remainder of the gift intact.

c. Applications
Fertile Octogenarian
Imagine that O conveys to A for life, remainder to As children for life, remainder to As grandchildren.
As life estate is presently possessory, and therefore is not subject to the Rule Against Perpetuities. The remainder for life in
As children is either contingent or subject to open because A is conclusively presumed to be capable of having more children,
and therefore is subject to the Rule Against Perpetuities. The remainder in As grandchildren is either

contingent or subject to open, and therefore is subject to the Rule Against Perpetuities.
O and A are express lives-in-being. Even if children or grandchildren are already born, these persons are members of
an open class and therefore cannot serve as lives-in-being. Therefore, O and A are the only possible measuring lives.

As children will take (or not take) at As death; hence, their interest is valid. However, As grandchildren may well
take more than 21 years after O and A die. Thus, their interest violates the Rule Against Perpetuities.

A retains her life estate. As children will take for life after A dies. Because the interest in As grandchildren
is void, O retains a reversion that will become possessory after As children die.
Unborn Widow
Imagine that O conveys to A for life, remainder to As widow for life, remainder to As children living at the
death of As widow.
As life estate is presently possessory, and therefore is not subject to the Rule Against Perpetuities. The
remainder for life in As widow is contin-gent because there cannot be a widow of a living person, and
therefore is subject to the Rule Against Perpetuities. The remainder in As children living at the death of As
widow is contingent because there is a condi-tion precedent to vesting, and therefore is subject to the Rule
Against Perpetuities.
O and A are express lives-in-being. As widow is not a life-in-being because she has not yet been identified.
As children, even if some are already born, may not be lives-in-being because their class is open.
Therefore, O and A are the only possible measuring lives.
As widow will take (or not take) at As death; hence, her interest is valid. However, As children may well
take more than 21 years after O and A die. Thus, their interest violates the Rule Against Perpetuities.
A retains his life estate. As widow will take for life after A dies if she survives A. Because the interest in As
children is void, O retains a rever-sion, which will fall in when As widow dies.
Charity-to-Charity Rule
Imagine that O conveys to A Charity for so long as liquor is not served on the premises, but if liquor is served on
the premises, then to B Charity.

As illustrated above, a shifting executory interest in fee will violate the Rule Against Perpetuities, because
an heir of A could violate the condi-tion more than 21 years after the death of O, A, and B, causing the
property to shift to B.
However, for policy public reasons, if both A and B are charities, the shifting executory interest in B Charity
will be deemed to be valid under the Rule Against Perpetuities.
Rule of Convenience
Imagine that O conveys to such of As children as shall reach the age of 25.
Assume A is living at the time of this grant and has two children: B, age 26; and C, age 24. Because she is
26, B is entitled to immediate distribution. As a result, the Rule of Convenience will operate to close the
class of As children immediately. All children born as of the date the class closes (B and C) will be allowed
to take upon reaching the age of 25. However, no child born after the date the class closes may take, even
if he should eventually reach the age of 25.
Assume that A is alive at the testators death and has three children: B, age 24; C, age 23; and D, age 19.
Because no child of A has reached 25, As children have a springing executory interest, which is subject to the
Rule Against Perpetuities.

O and A are express lives-in-being. The class of As children cannot be measuring lives because the class
remains open; A is alive, and no child of A is entitled to immediate distribution because no child of A has
reached the age of 25.

It is possible that a child of A could reach 25 more than 21 years after the deaths of O and A. Therefore, the springing
executory interest in the children of A violates the Rule Against Perpetuities.
O is left with a fee simple absolute.
Uniform Statutory Rule Against Perpetuities
Some states have adopted uniform statutory revisions of the Rule Against Perpetuities (USRAP). Under the USRAP, a
nonvested interest in real or personal property is invalid unless:
it satisfies the common law Rule Against Perpetuities; or
it vests or terminates within 90 years of its creation (this is known as the wait and see test). Under the wait-and-see
branch of the USRAP, the court waits until the end of the prescribed period to determine whether the interest actually
vested or failed within the prescribed period.

Powers of Appointment
A general power of appointment gives the holder of the power the right to appoint the property to anyone, including the
holder of the power. Thus, a general power

of appointment is considered to be equivalent to ownership of the property. To be valid under the Rule Against
Perpetuities, a general power of appointment must be exercisable, but not necessarily exercised, during the period
allowed by the Rule Against Perpetuities.
A special power of appointment gives the holder the right to appoint the property to a limited class of persons. To be valid
under the Rule Against Perpetuities, a special power of appointment must be exercised in a manner that causes the interest in
property thereby created to vest within the period of the Rule Against Perpetuities.

Concurrent Estates
A concurrent estate exists when two or more persons share concurrently an interest in real property. A concurrent owner
is called a co-tenant.
Tenancy in Common
Tenancy in common is a form of concurrent ownership where each co-tenant owns an undivided interest in the whole of the
property with no right of survivorship.

Tenancy in common is now the presumed form of co-tenancy. Therefore, no special words are required to create a
tenancy in common.
.
Tenancy in common requires unity of possession only. Unity of possession means that each tenant in common has the right
to possess the whole of the property.

A tenant in common may transfer his interest inter vivos:

voluntarily, through a conveyance, lease, mortgage, or other transfer of a present possessory or future property interest;
or
involuntarily, through a foreclosure on a mortgage of the tenants interest or an execution of a judgment creditors lien on the
tenants interest in the property.

A tenant in common may devise his interest, and the interest of a tenant in common may also descend by intestacy.

Outline
Joint Tenancy
Joint tenancy is a form of concurrent ownership where each co-tenant owns an undivided interest in the whole of the
property and has a right of survivorship.

Traditionally, the following words are required to create a joint tenancy: to A and B as joint tenants and not as
tenants in common, with full right of survivorship.
A joint tenancy requires the following four unities:
joint tenants must take at the same time (unity of time);
joint tenants must take by the same instrument (unity of title);
joint tenants must take equal shares of the same type (e.g., each joint tenant takes a legal fee simple) (unity of
interest); and
each joint tenant has the right to possess the whole (unity of possession).
Under the traditional rule, a sole owner of property cannot create a joint tenancy between himself and another person by
conveying a joint interest directly to the other person. Instead, the owner must convey the property to a straw man, who
then conveys the property back to the owner and the other person as joint tenants.

Some jurisdictions now do not require the unities of time and title. Under this approach, a straw man no longer is
required to create a joint tenancy. Instead, a sole owner may create joint tenancy between himself and another
person by conveying a joint interest directly to the other person.
Each joint tenant has a right of survivorship. At the death of one joint tenant, the interest of the surviving joint tenant
grows and absorbs the interest of the deceased joint tenant.

A joint tenant may transfer his interest voluntarily or involuntarily, thereby severing the joint tenancy. However, the
right of survivorship prevents a predeceasing joint tenant from devising his interest. In addition, the interest of the
predeceasing joint tenant may not descend by intestacy.
A joint tenancy is severed if one joint tenant conveys his interest voluntarily or involuntarily. An involuntary
conveyance occurs if a creditor forces a sale of a joint tenants interest to satisfy the debt owed to the creditor by
the joint tenant. If a joint tenancy is severed, the unities of time and title are destroyed. Therefore, a tenancy in
common is created between the other tenant and the conveyee.

If both joint tenants join in a mortgage of the subject property, the mortgage will not affect the joint tenancy.
However, if only one of the joint tenants mortgages his interest, the effect of the mortgage on the joint tenancy will
depend on whether the jurisdiction follows the title theory or the lien theory of mortgages.
In a title theory state, the execution of a mortgage by one joint tenant causes the legal interest of that co-tenant to
be transferred to the mortgagee. Thus, the mortgage severs the joint tenancy because the unities have been
destroyed. Most jurisdictions no longer follow the title theory.
In a lien theory state, the mortgagee only receives a lien on the property. Therefore, no severance occurs when
the mortgage is made because the unities remain intact. However, in a lien theory state, foreclosure will sever the
joint tenancy. Most jurisdictions now follow the lien theory.

rvives if the
mortgagor/j
oint tenant
dies before
Nthe nonomortgaging
t joint tenant.

Jurisdiction
s are split
Non whether
oa lease
t severs a
ejoint
tenancy.
Tenancy
by the
TEntirety
h
eA tenancy
by the
c entirety is a
oform of
uconcurrent
r ownership
t reserved
s for married
couples,
awhich gives
r each
espouse an
undivided
s interest in
pthe whole
l of the
i property
t and a right
of
asurvivorshi
s p.
t
Traditionally
o
, to create a
tenancy by
w
the entirety,
h
the
e
following
t
words were
h
required:
e
to H and
r
W as
tenants by
a
the entirety
and not as
m
joint
o
tenants or
r
tenants in
t
common,
g
with full
a
right of
g
survivorshi
e
p.
s
uToday, most

s e entirety if
ta
aconveyanc
t e is made
eto a
s husband
and wife,
heven if they
aare not
v identi-fied
eas husband
and wife in
ethe deed.
n
aIn the
c states that
t recognize
etenancy by
dthe entirety,
an
s attempted
t conveyanc
ae by either
t spouse is
uwholly void.
t Rights and
eDuties of
s CoTenants
c
r
Each coe
tenant is
a
entitled to
t
possess
i
the whole
n
property.
g
aWrongful
ouster
poccurs
r when one
eco-tenant
s wrongfully
uexcludes
manother coptenant from
t possession
i of the
owhole or
nany part of
the jointly
oheld
f property.
t An out-ofepossession
nco-tenant
ahas the
nright to
c share in
y rents and
net profits
bderived by
y another cotenant from
t third
hparties,

l gement
efees.
s However,
s an out-ofpossession
oco-tenant
pdoes not
ehave the
r right to
ademand
t rent from a
i co-tenant
nwho is in
gactual
possession
eof the
x premises,
punless the
eco-tenant in
npossession
s has
eeffected a
s wrongful
ouster or
s has
uexploited
c the
hproperty in
a manner
aresulting in
s permanent
depreciatio
t n.
a
x The
ecommon
s law, which is
, still followed
in some

mstates, does
onot allow a
r co-tenant to
t seek
gcontribution
afrom
ganother cotenant for
e
repairs
s
performed
, on the
property.

i However,
nunder the
t modern
etrend,
r contribution
emay be
s compelled
t for
, necessary
repairs if
athe repairs
nwere
drequested
by the
mrepairing
atenant and
nrefused by
athe

oepairs may
t be credited
hin favor of a
eco-tenant
r who
( repairs.
s
) A co-tenant
. has no right
to seek a
contribution
I or setoff for
nimproveme
nts made to
athe
premises,
punless the
aimproveme
r nts
t generate
i increased
t rents or
i profits. In
othat case,
ncosts of
improveme
s nts are
urecoverable
i only in a
t partition
suit.
o
r A co-tenant
who pays a

amortgage or
ntax may
seek

acontribution
c or may
c recover in
oan
uaccounting
nor partition
t suit.
However,
i
there is no
n
separate
gaction to
compel

s contribution
u. A coi tenant in
t sole
, possession
will receive
t reimbursem
hent only to
ethe extent
that his
c payment
oexceeds
s the market
t value of the
s property.
o
f Each cotenant has
r the right to

s plished by
ean
eexchange of
k mutual
deeds

pamong coatenants or
r by sale of
the property
t
and division
i of the
t proceeds.
i Involuntar
oy (judicial)
npartition is
accomplish
oed by court
f action,
usually at
t the
hinstance of
eone, but not
all, of the
pco-tenants.
r Involuntary
opartition
pmay be
eeither inr kind
t (physical
y division) or
. by sale.
Traditionally
, physical
Vpartition
ohas been
l preferred,
uunless a
nphysical
t partition
a
would be
r
impractical
y
and the
pinterests of
a the parties
r would be
t better
i served by a
t sale and
i division of
othe
nproceeds.
i
When
s

partition
u cannot
s produce
u equal
a shares, the
l party
l receiving
y the larger
portion
a must make
c a cash
c payment to
o the other
mparty.

II. COMPETING CLAIMANTS

Adverse Possession
Adverse possession requires proof of possession that is all of the following:
open, visible, and notorious;
actual;
An adverse possessor is required to possess the premises for the requisite time period. Actual possession gives notice to
the world at large and the property owner in particular that someone is possessing the premises. A person actually
possesses property when he is on the premises physically. A person may also possess the premises constructively.
Constructive adverse possession requires color of title (usually a defective deed) and actual possession of at least a
significant part of the premises. If those elements are satisfied, the possessor will constructively possess the whole
property as described in deed. However, there are certain exceptions to the constructive possession rule:
if land is divided into two or more distinctive lots, constructive possession will extend only to the lot that the possessor actually
occupies; and
if a third person is in possession of part of the premises, constructive possession will not extend to the portion the third party
possesses.

Note

Many courts require some reasonable relationship between the area actually pos-sessed and the additional area
alleged to be constructively possessed.
exclusive;
hostile and under a claim of title or right; and
To acquire title by adverse possession, a person must possess the premises in a hostile manner. In this context, a person
possesses hostilely if he holds the premises in a manner that is inconsistent with the rights of the owner.

Under the majority rule, hostility is judged objectively, which means that the possessors state of mind is irrelevant. The
element is satisfied if the possessor intends to be on the premises, regardless of whether the possessor knows that the
premises are owned by someone else.
In a minority of jurisdictions, the possessor must act in good faith, which means that the possessor must believe the land
is his.
A few courts require bad faith, which means that the possessor must show that he knows that the land is not his but
intends to claim it nonetheless.

Note Adverse possession questions often involve mistaken boundaries. A typical example in-volves a building on one
parcel of land that encroaches slightly on the adjoining parcel, often without the knowledge of the owner of the adjoining
parcel. Two standards have been developed to judge those cases. Under the objective majority (Maine) view for
mistaken boundaries, possession is hostile so long as the possessor intends to claim the land as his own, even if he is
unsure as to the location of the boundary. Under the subjective minority (Connecticut) view for mistaken boundaries,
the possessor must actually know that he has crossed over the boundary.
Note

Boundary disputes may also be determined by methods other than adverse pos-session. An oral agreement to settle a
boundary dispute is enforceable if the parties subsequently accept the line for a long period of time. Long acquiescence
(perhaps for a period shorter than the statute of limitations) may also be used as evidence of an agreement between the parties
to fix the boundary line. In addition, if one party makes

a representation through words or acts to the other concerning the location of a com-mon boundary, and the other party
changes position in reliance on that representation, the first party may be estopped from denying the validity of his
representation.

continuous for the statutory period.

To acquire title by adverse possession, the possessor must show that he has possessed the property continuously for
the statutory period. In some cases, a possessor may satisfy this element even if he has not been on the premises
every day during the statutory period. Seasonal use may suffice if that use constitutes the best use of the property.
The requisite time period for adverse possession is established by statute. In many states, the common law period of 20
years has been supplanted by a shorter statutory period, which is often five, seven, or 10 years.
If an adverse possessor has not been in possession for the full statutory period, he may still meet the time period by
tacking his possession onto possession by a previous adverse possessor. Tacking is allowed if the adverse possessor
and his predecessor are in privity of estate. Privity of estate requires an intentional transfer of possession from one
person to the next. An adverse possessor may not tack his possession onto that of a previous person if the adverse
possessor dispossesses the previous possessor. If the owner-ship of the property changes hands during the period of
adverse possession, the adverse possession continues to run uninterrupted against the subsequent owner if the two
owners are in privity of estate.

The running of a statute of limitations may be tolled in certain circumstances. Tolling means that the statute will not run
for a period of time. For tolling to occur, a disability must be in existence at the time the adverse possessor enters.
Disability typically includes nonage, legal incompetence, and impris-onment. Most states extend the time to bring an
action to a certain period after the disability has been removed (e.g., 10 years).

Real Property Contracts

Statute of Frauds
The Statute of Frauds requires a writing for a transfer of an interest in real prop-erty. The writing must be signed by the
party to be charged and must include the following essential terms:
description of the property;
description of the parties;
price; and
any conditions of price or payment if agreed on.
Exceptions to the Statute of Frauds
The doctrine of part performance may be used to enforce an otherwise invalid oral contract of sale, provided the acts
of part performance unequivo-cally prove the existence of the contract. A showing of some combination or all three of
the following must be made:
payment of all or part of the purchase price;
taking of possession; and
making substantial improvements.
Equitable and, under the modern trend, promissory estoppel may also be used to prove an oral contract for the sale of
land.
Equitable estoppel is based on an act or a representation.
Promissory estoppel is based on a promise.
Equitable Conversion
A purchaser becomes an equitable owner of title at the time of the execution of a binding contract.
Under the common law, the risk of loss is on the buyer on execution of a binding contract for the sale of real property.
The common law rule is the majority rule.

Under the Uniform Vendor and Purchaser Risk Act, the risk of loss is placed on the seller unless the legal title or
possession of the property has passed to the buyer. The rule of the Uniform Vendor and Purchase Risk Act is the
minority rule.
Marketable Title
All contracts for the sale of real property include an implied promise to convey marketable title. Marketable title is title
that is reasonably free from doubt in both fact and law. Title is not reasonably free from doubt if it contains any of the
following defects:
defects in the chain of title, such as:
adverse possession;
Traditionally, title acquired by adverse possession is unmarketable.
However, recent cases (though still the minority view) suggest that title acquired by adverse possession may be

marketable if:
the possession has been for a very long time;
the risk that the record owner will sue is remote; and
the probability of the record owners success is minimal.
the defective execution of a deed; or
significant variation of the description of land from one deed to the next;
encumbrances;
For the purposes of marketable title, an encumbrance is a right or interest that another person has in real property that
diminishes the value of the property but is consistent with the conveyance of a fee interest in the property.

In this context, encumbrances include:

mortgages;
liens;
easements; and
An easement that reduces the value of the property (e.g., the burden of a right-of-way) renders title unmarketable.
However, an easement that benefits the burdened estate, such as the installation of utilities, and which is visible or
known to the buyer, does not render title unmarketable.
covenants and servitudes.
An encumbrance excepted in the contract may not serve as the basis for a finding that title is unmarketable.
A seller may satisfy a mortgage or lien at closing with the proceeds of the sale. If the purchase price is sufficient and
satisfaction occurs simultaneously with the transfer of the land, the buyer may not complain because closing will result
in marketable title.
encroachments; or
A significant encroachment renders title unmarketable.
In contrast, a slight encumbrance, such as a boundary overlap of several inches only, will not render title unmarketable.
An encroachment does not render title unmarketable if the owner says he will not rely on the encroachment as a basis
for suit.
zoning restrictions.
The existence of a zoning restriction does not make title unmarketable.
However, a zoning violation may render title unmarketable.
b. Physical defects in the property, such as termites, do not render title unmarketable.
Note

If title is unmarketable, the purchaser may get: (1) rescission; (2) money damages for breach of contract; or (3)
specific performance with an abatement of the purchase price.

Duty to Disclose Defects

A seller of a residential home has a duty to disclose to the buyer material latent defects known to the seller but not readily
observable and not known to the buyer.

Generally, the duty applies only to commercial builders and developers of new residential homes.
Some states extend the duty to all sellers.
Real estate agents and brokers may also be included in some jurisdictions.
The duty to disclose defects applies to new homes. However, some states extend the duty to used homes.
In no state is the duty extended to commercial property.
Material is often limited to defects that affect the health and safety of the occu-pants. However, some states define
material to include defects that affect value as well as health and safety.
In some states, materiality is judged by an objective standard, which asks whether a reasonable person would attach

importance to the defect in deter-mining whether to purchase the home.

In other states, materiality is judged by a subjective standard, which asks whether the defect actually affected the value
or desirability of the property to the buyer.
At a minimum, defect means a physical defect on the premises.
A few jurisdictions extend the duty to physical defects both on and off the premises (e.g., nearby environmental
hazards).

Some states also extend the duty to physical and nonphysical defects (e.g., noise from neighbors).
Implied Warranty of Quality
Most jurisdictions recognize an implied warranty of quality, sometimes called an implied warranty of workmanlike
quality, an implied warranty of habitability, an implied warranty of fitness, or an implied warranty of suitability.
The implied warranty of quality generally applies to the sale of new or remodeled homes.
The implied warranty of quality does not extend to commercial structures.
The implied warranty is imposed on contractors, developers, and other commercial vendors of real property. The
warranty covers significant latent defects caused by the defendants poor workmanship. The defects must be
discovered within a reasonable time of construction or remodeling.
The jurisdictions are split on whether the implied warranty of quality extends to subsequent purchasers, i.e.,
purchasers who are not in privity of contract with the builder or remodeler. The jurisdictions are also split on
whether economic loss may be recovered for breach of the implied warranty of quality.
Most jurisdictions permit the enforcement of an unambiguous disclaimer of the implied warranty of quality.
However, some jurisdictions do not give effect to a general disclaimer (e.g., as is) for residential premises.
In some jurisdictions, the statute of limitations begins to run when construction is completed. In other jurisdictions,
the statute of limitations begins to run when the buyer to whom the warranty was first made takes possession of the
premises, even if the buyer does not know of the breach. In other jurisdictions, the statute of limita-tions does not
begin to run until the purchaser discovers or should have discovered the breach.

 Denotes jurisdictional variations

Remedies for Breach of a Contract to Sell Real Property

Sellers Remedies for Buyers Breach a. Remedies at Law
Traditionally, if the buyer breaches a contract for the sale of real property, the seller is entitled to expectation damages,
measured by the difference between the contract price and the market price at the time of the breach. To compensate
the seller in a falling market, some courts now measure expec-tation damages based on the difference between the
contract price and the resale price.
The seller may also recover foreseeable consequential damages, such as mortgage interest payments that the seller
is required to make after the buyers breach.
The seller may recover reasonable reliance damages, such as repairs and the cost of inspections.
Traditionally, if the buyer breaches, the seller may elect to retain the entire amount of the down payment, even in the
absence of a liquidated damages provision.
Most courts now restrict the traditional rule to a down payment that equals 10% or less of the purchase price.

The modern approach requires the seller to return to the buyer the amount by which the down payment exceeds the
damages caused by the buyers breach.
A contract for the sale of real property may include a liquidated damages clause, which states that the seller may retain
the entire amount of the down payment if the buyer breaches. If the contract does contain a liquidated damages clause,
most courts permit the seller to retain the down payment if the clause is found to be reasonable. A liquidated damage
clause is reason-able, and therefore is enforceable, if:
the injury caused by the breach is one that is difficult or incapable of accurate estimation (traditionally judged at the time
the contract was made); and
the liquidated damages are a reasonable forecast of the harm caused by the breach.

Note Traditionally, the reasonableness of the forecast was judged at the time of the contract. Under the Second
Restatement of Contracts, the reasonableness of the forecast may be judged at the time the contract was made
(anticipated harm) or by the loss actually caused (actual harm).
The seller may recover punitive damages if the buyers breach was willful.
Remedies in Equity
If the buyer breaches, the seller may elect to seek rescission of the contract.
Traditionally, mutuality of remedy was required. Under this rule, because the buyer is entitled to specific performance, the
seller is also entitled to specific performance. However, as mutuality of remedy has fallen out of favor, some courts have
begun to question the general availability of specific performance for sellers.
Some courts have now declined to classify a condominium unit as unique realty. Those courts refuse to grant a sellers
request for specific performance.
Buyers Remedies for Sellers Breach of Contract
Remedies at Law
Traditionally, if the seller breaches a contract for the sale of real property, the buyer may recover expectation damages,
measured by the difference between the market price at the time of the breach and the contract price. To compensate the
buyer in a rising market, some courts now measure expectation damages based on the difference between the resale
price and the contract price. The buyer may also recover foreseeable consequential damages, such as lost profits.
The buyer may recover reasonable reliance damages, such as the cost of inspections.
If the seller breaches a contract for the sale of real property, the buyer may seek restitution of the down payment.
Under the English rule, if the seller fails to deliver marketable title, the buyer may seek restitution of his down payment,
plus interest and reasonable expenses incurred in investigating title. However, under the English rule, the buyer may not
receive expectation damages that
exceed the down payment amount unless the seller acted in bad faith or assumed the risk of failing to obtain marketable
title. A slight minority of jurisdictions follow the English rule.

Under the American rule, if the seller fails to deliver marketable title, the buyer is not restricted to restitution of his down
payment. Rather, the buyer may recover expectation damages plus reasonably foreseeable consequential damages. A
majority of jurisdictions follow the American rule.
The buyer may recover punitive damages if the sellers breach is willful.
Remedies in Equity
If the seller breaches, the buyer may elect to seek rescission of the contract for sale, accompanied by restitution of the
down payment.
Traditionally, each piece of land is considered unique. Therefore, if the seller breaches the contract by failing to sell the
property to the buyer, the buyer may seek specific performance of the contract for sale. If the seller fails to deliver
marketable title, the buyer may elect to sue for specific performance, with an abatement in the purchase price that
reflects the decrease in value caused by the title defect.
Passage of Property at Death
If the seller dies after the execution of the contract for sale but before closing, legal title passes to his heirs or devisees.
However, they must honor the sales agreement, and the purchase money passes as personalty.
If the buyer dies after the execution of the contract for sale but before closing, the party that takes the decedents realty
may demand a closing and exoneration of liens from the personal estate of the decedent.
Merger
Traditionally, covenants in a contract of sale merge into the deed at closing. However, under the modern trend, merger
does not apply to matters that are collateral to or not mentioned in the deed.
Conveyance of Real Property by Deed
Covenants of Title
The following three types of deeds are generally used in conveyances of real property.
In a general warranty deed, the seller warrants that no title defects have occurred during his ownership of the property.
The seller also warrants that there are no defects in the chain of title from which he derived title.
In a special warranty deed, the seller warrants that no title defects have occurred during his ownership of the property.
However, the seller does not warrant that there are no defects in the chain of title from which he derived title.
In a quitclaim deed, the seller does not make any warranties. Instead, the grantor simply conveys whatever interest he
may have.
A general or special warranty deed contains a series of promises or covenants, which are divided into present and
future covenants.
Present covenants are broken, if at all, at the time of conveyance. Under the American rule, present covenants are
considered to be personal and do not run with the land. They include the following:
in the covenant of seisin, the covenantor promises that he owns and possesses the estate granted;
The existence of an encumbrance does not breach the covenant of seisin.
in the covenant of right to convey, the grantor promises that he has the right to convey the property; and
The covenant of the right to convey is often co-extensive with the covenant of seisin. However, there are several
differences between the two covenants:

a trustee may be seised of the fee but may not have the right to convey if the trust deed prohibits the trustee from conveying;
and

an owner of a life estate may be seised but may not have the right to convey if the life estate is subject to a valid restraint
on alienation.
in the covenant against encumbrances, the grantor promises that there are no encumbrances on the property.
For the purposes of the covenant against encumbrances, an encum-brance is any right in a third person that diminishes
the value or limits the use of the land granted. In this context, encumbrances include:
mortgage and judgment liens;
taxes;
leases;
water rights;
easements; and
restrictions on use.
Note An encumbrance expressly noted in the deed cannot serve as the basis for a breach of the covenant against
encumbrances. In most cases, if a defect renders title unmarket-able (e.g., a mortgage or an easement), the defect also
breaches the covenant against encumbrances. However, in a majority of jurisdictions, a violation of a zoning ordinance renders
title unmarketable but does not breach the covenant against encumbrances.

The jurisdictions are split on whether a visible or known encumbrance breaches the covenant against encumbrances.
Future covenants may be broken after the time of the conveyance, and they run with the land. Future covenants include
the following:
in the covenant of quiet enjoyment, the grantor covenants that the grantee will not be disturbed by a superior claim;
in the covenant of warranty, the grantor guarantees that he will assist in defending title against lawful claims and will
compensate the grantee for losses sustained by an assertion of superior title; and
The covenant of warranty is virtually identical to the covenant of quiet enjoyment.
in the covenant of further assurances, the grantor promises to take whatever steps may be required to perfect defects
of title.
Under this covenant the grantor may, for example, be called on to defend a lawsuit or to execute a curative deed.

Note A future covenant is not breached until the grantee or his successor is evicted from the property, buys up the
paramount claim to avoid suit, or is otherwise damaged.
Remedies for Breach of Covenant by the Grantor
Monetary recovery is generally capped at the amount the grantor/defendant received for the property (plus interest).
For breach of the covenants of seisin, right to convey, general warranty, and quiet enjoyment, the grantee may recover
the full purchase price (if the conveyance is voided) or a percentage thereof (if a portion of the conveyance is voided).
For breach of the covenant against encumbrances, damages are measured by the cost of removing the defect, if removal
is possible, or the diminution in the value of the property if the defect cannot be removed.

Note

In some jurisdictions, attorneys fees may also be recovered for breach of future cov-enants if the grantee loses
the property to a lawful superior claim.
Some states permit a grantee to recover damages from a remote grantor to the extent of the consideration received by the
remote grantor from his
immediate grantee, even if the remote grantee paid his immediate grantor less for the property. However, in some states, if the
remote grantee paid less than the remote grantor received from his grantee, the remote grantees recovery is limited to the
amount the remote grantee paid to his immediate grantor.

Specific performance is available for the covenant of further assurances.

Statute of Limitations
For present covenants, the statute of limitations begins to run when the deed is delivered.
For future covenants, the statute of limitations does not begin to run until a third party asserts a superior title.
Requirements for Effective Transfer
Conveyance of real property by deed requires:
donative intent;
The grantor must intend to transfer an interest immediately to the grantee. If the grantor intends the deed to take effect
only on the death of the grantor, will formalities must be observed.
delivery; and
Delivery is usually accomplished through the physical act of handing the deed over to someone. However, it is possible
to accomplish delivery by mere words (e.g., by a declaration of intent and relinquishment of control). A presumption of
delivery arises if:
the deed is later found in the grantees possession;
the deed is properly executed and recorded; or
the deed contains an attestation clause that attests to delivery.
Handing the deed to the grantors agent does not constitute valid delivery. Delivery does not occur until the grantors
agent delivers the deed to the grantee or grantees agent, which then triggers the relation-back doctrine. However,
handing the deed to the grantees agent does constitute valid delivery.
Doctrine of Relation Back
Handing the deed to a third party (i.e., an escrow agent) constitutes valid delivery if the grantor relinquishes all control over the
deed.

If a delivery is accomplished through an escrow agent, delivery will relate back to the date the grantor handed the deed
to the escrow agent.

When the grantor hands the deed to the third party and places condi-tions on the delivery, it gives rise to concerns
regarding a situation where the grantor transfers the property to someone else before the condition occurs.

that C would win out. However, once the condition is met, the convey - ance will relate back to the date Grantor
gave X the deed, which was before the transfer to C.
The more conditions the grantor places on the conveyance, the more likely the conditioned conveyance will fail.
When a grantor gives the deed to a third party with instructions to deliver the deed at the grantors death (a
death escrow), the grantor is making a present transfer of a life estate with a remainder to the grantee.

If the grantor expressly retains the right to reclaim the deed from the third party, transfer of title through the
escrow agent will fail.
acceptance.
Acceptance is presumed if the conveyance is beneficial to the grantee.
Parol evidence is always admissible to show that a deed absolute on its face is intended as a mortgage. Parol
evidence may also be used to show that the grantor did not intend the deed to have present effect.
Most courts permit proof of oral conditions on deeds if delivery is to a third party.
Under the majority rule, if delivery has been made to the grantee with an oral condition, the conveyance is
valid, but the oral condition may not be proved. Under the minority rule, if delivery has been made to the
grantee with an oral condition, the conveyance is void (particularly if the condition is delivery on the grantors
death). In a few jurisdictions, if delivery has been made to the grantee with an oral condition, the conveyance is
valid, and the oral condition may be proved.
Natural monuments prevail over all other descriptions. Artificial monuments prevail over all descriptions except
natural monuments. Courses and angles prevail over distances. All of the descriptions listed above prevail over a
general descrip-

tion (e.g., Blackacre). Natural monuments, artificial monuments, courses, and distances all refer to a metes
and bounds description. A description may also be by government survey, name of parcel, or street address.

III. RECORDING STATUTES

In General
Recordation of the deed of conveyance is not required to validate the transfer of title. However, recording becomes
important when two or more parties claim that the owner has conveyed (or mortgaged) the property to them.
Recording statutes generally apply to conveyances of freehold interests, easements, profits, covenants, servitudes,
mortgages, assignments, and liens.
Title based on adverse possession or prescription is not recordable.
Recordation will not cure defects in a deed caused by lack of delivery, forgery, or fraud.
First in Time, First in Right
Under the common law, if two persons claimed title under deeds to one parcel of real property, the property was awarded to
the person who took the property first in time.

The common law rule still applies if the person who took later in time fails to qualify under the relevant recording statute.
Types of Recording Statutes
Race Statute
Under a race statute, the person who records first prevails.
Typical race statutes read: No (i) conveyance of land, or (ii) contract to convey, or (iii) option to convey, or (iv) lease of
land for more than three years shall be valid to pass any property interest against lien creditors or purchasers for a
valuable consideration from the donor, bargainor, or landlord but from the time of registration thereof in the county
where the land lies.

Notice Statute
Under a notice statute, an unrecorded conveyance or other instrument is invalid as against a subsequent bona fide
purchase for value and without notice.
To prevail under a notice statute, a claimant of real property must prove the following three elements:
the claimant took subsequent in time to another person claiming ownership of the real property in question;
the claimant was a bona fide purchaser for value; and
the claimant took the property without actual, constructive, or inquiry notice.
A subsequent purchaser must pay value to prevail under a recording statute. Value exists if the purchaser has paid all
of the purchase price. A purchaser under a contract of sale who has not yet paid any money should not be protected
under the recording statute. However, if the purchaser has paid some but not all of the purchase price before receiving
notice, the courts are split as to whether the purchaser is protected under the recording statute. Some courts state that
partial payment is not sufficient to protect the subsequent purchaser. The majority holds that the buyer is protected pro
tanto (so much as he has paid), which may be accomplished by:
giving the land to the holder of the outstanding interest and giving the buyer restitution (the most common method);
awarding the buyer a fractional interest in the land proportional to the amount paid prior to notice; or
allowing the buyer to complete the purchase but to pay the remaining install-ments to the holder of the outstanding
interest.

Types of Notice
Actual notice exists if the claimant actually sees the deed under which the other party is claiming, or otherwise
knows of the conveyance.
Constructive or record notice exists if the other partys deed is recorded in the proper place in the record books.
Wild Deeds are deeds recorded outside of the chain of title, and which do not impart constructive notice on a
subsequent purchaser.
The courts are divided on whether an easement or restriction that appears in a prior deed to one lot made by a
common grantor
is constructive notice to the grantee of another lot from the common grantor.
The courts are also split on whether a subsequent bona fide purchaser has constructive notice of a prior deed from
the grantor that is recorded after a subsequent deed from the grantor is recorded.
Inquiry notice exists if the appearance of the property is such that the claimant should have asked more questions about
the title to the property.

Typical notice statutes read: No conveyance, transfer, or mortgage of real property, or of any interest therein, nor
any lease for a term of one year or longer, shall be good and effectual in law or equity against creditors or
subsequent purchasers for a valuable consideration and without notice, unless the same be recorded according to
the law.

Race-Notice Statute
Under a race-notice statute, an unrecorded conveyance or other instrument is invalid against a subsequent bona
fide purchaser for value, without notice, who records first.
To prevail under a race-notice statute, a claimant of real property must prove the following four elements:
the claimant took subsequent in time to another person claiming ownership of the real property in question;
the claimant was a bona fide purchaser for value;
the claimant took the property without actual, constructive, or inquiry notice; and
the claimant recorded first.
Typical race-notice statutes read: Every conveyance of real property or an estate for years therein, other than a
lease for a term not exceeding one year, is void as against any subsequent purchaser or mortgagee of the same
property, or any part thereof, in good faith and for a valuable consideration, whose conveyance is first duly
recorded, and as against any judgment affecting title, unless the conveyance shall have been duly recorded prior to
the record notice of action.

Title SearchRecording a Conveyance

In tract index jurisdictions, the searcher looks at the legal description of the tract of land followed by a chronological
listing of all conveyances involving that piece of land.
This type of search always provides constructive notice of a claim to property.
A minority of jurisdictions require tract index searches.
In grantor and grantee index jurisdictions, the searcher establishes a chain of title by searching two index books.
First, the searcher looks back in time within the grantee-grantor index.
Then, the searcher looks forward in time within the grantor-grantee index to see if any grantor conveyed an interest to
someone outside of the backwards chain.
A majority of jurisdictions require grantor and grantee index searches.
Shelter Rule
The shelter rule provides protection for a subsequent purchaser who does not satisfy the applicable recording statute.
Under the shelter rule, a person who is a successor in interest to a person protected by the recording statute is also
protected.
Exceptions to Shelter Rule
A subsequent person may not take advantage of the shelter rule if that person:
attempts to wash his deed by conveying to a third person and then immedi-ately taking a reconveyance of the
property; or
commits fraud in respect to the deed.
Under the majority rule, estoppel by deed is an equitable remedy that is applied on a case-by-case basis. Under the
minority rule, after-acquired title is a legal theory that provides for automatic flow-through of the property.
Marketable Title Act
A marketable title act provides a cut-off point, which limits the time period during which a subsequent purchaser is required to
search the records. The cut-off point is fixed

by identifying a deed that has been of record for the required period, which is usually
30 or 40 years. Any interest that is not recorded or refiled within the required period is extinguished.

in a deed that does not mention As easement. In 2004, B conveys Blackacre to C. In 2005, A attempts to use
the easement, but C prevents A from crossing over Blackacre. The jurisdiction has a 30-year marketable title
act. The 1967 deed becomes the root of title in 1997, when it had been recorded for 30 years. Under the
marketable title act, all competing interests recorded prior to the root of title are extinguished. Therefore, As
easement was extinguished in 1997.

IV. MORTGAGES

In General
A mortgage is a conveyance of an interest in real property made to secure perfor-mance of an obligation. The
obligation often arises out of a loan of money made to facil-itate the purchase or development of real property. A
mortgage is typically evidenced by two documents:
a mortgage deed; and
a promissory note (mortgage note).
A mortgage deed is a document that conveys an interest in real property designed to secure performance of a debt. Because
a mortgage involves a transfer of an interest in realty, a mortgage must be evidenced by a writing (e.g., a mortgage deed) that
is properly executed and delivered to the mortgagee. The mortgage deed must include, at

minimum, the following elements:

the identity of the parties;
The mortgagor is the owner of the real property, who borrowed money and secured the debt with a mortgage on the
property.
The mortgagee is the lender of the money borrowed, to whom the mortgage is made.
a description of the property; and
The property should be described with sufficient detail to put a subsequent bona fide purchaser on notice of the
mortgage (which may require more detail than is required to satisfy the Statute of Frauds).
the intent to create a security interest.
The mortgage deed should contain evidence of an intent to create a security interest in the mortgagee.
The mortgage deed is a recordable document, which is generally subject to the terms of the applicable recording
statute.
The mortgage note represents the mortgage obligation. The note is an IOU that creates personal liability in the
mortgagor. The note typically includes, inter alia, the following provisions:
the loan amount;
the interest rate, which may be fixed (set for the term of the loan) or adjustable
(it may vary over the term of the loan);
the loan term (e.g., 15 or 30 years);
a clause permitting prepayment but exacting a penalty for the privilege of prepayment;
a clause that permits the mortgagee to declare the entire amount of the mortgage obligation due and payable if the
mortgagor defaults (an acceleration clause); and
a due on sale clause, which requires the entire balance due on the note to be paid before the property may be
transferred by the mortgagor/seller to a buyer.
Note

When the mortgagor satisfies (pays) the mortgage note, the mortgagee executes a document that releases the
mortgage. The release document should be recorded.

Mortgage Theories
The jurisdictions are split on the nature of the interests held by mortgagor and mort-gagee after the execution of the
mortgage deed. The following three mortgage theories are in effect in various jurisdictions of the United States.
Title Theory
The title theory is the classic common law model for determining the nature of the interests held by the mortgagor and the
mortgagee. Under the traditional title theory, the mortgagee receives legal title to the mortgaged real property and has

a right to take possession of and to collect rents and profits from the property. The mortgagees title to the property
is subject to a condition subsequent that divests title from the mortgagee if the mortgagor repays the loan by the
due date. Until he repays the loan in a timely fashion, the mortgagor retains only an equitable interest in the
property.
The traditional title theory is now the minority view. In addition, a title theory state is likely to recognize that the
mortgagee holds title for security purposes only. Under this approach, the mortgagor is viewed as the owner of the
land. Some title theory states have also eliminated or reduced the incidents of legal title by, inter alia, giving the
mortgagor the right to possession until default.
Lien Theory
In a lien theory jurisdiction, the mortgagee receives a lien, and the mortgagor retains legal and equitable title and
possession to the mortgaged real property, unless and until foreclosure occurs. Most states now adhere to the lien theory.

Intermediate Theory
In an intermediate theory jurisdiction, the mortgagor retains legal title until default occurs. After default, legal title
and possession pass to the mortgagee, who may then begin to collect rents and profits. Only a few states adhere
to the intermediate theory. According to the Restatement of Property, the intermediate theory differs very little from
the title theory, because title theory mortgagees rarely assert a right to possession prior to default.
Mortgage-Related Waste
A person holding a remainder in mortgaged property has a duty to pay the principal. A life tenant has a duty to pay
the interest on a mortgage. However, the life tenants duty is capped at:
rents and profits derived from a third person in possession of the property; or
the reasonable rental value of the premises, if the life tenant remains in possession of the property.
The mortgagor or a life tenant of mortgaged property also commits waste if, without the mortgagees consent, the
mortgagor or life tenant:
fails to make timely payments of property taxes or governmental assessments secured by a lien that have priority
over the mortgage;
makes physical changes to the real property, negligently or intentionally, that reduce the value of the property;
fails to maintain and repair the property in a reasonable manner, except for repair of casualty damage or acts of
third parties not the fault of the mortgagor;
fails to comply materially with mortgage covenants respecting the physical care, maintenance, construction,
demolition, or insurance against casualty of the property or improvements on it; or
retains rents to which the mortgagee has a right of possession.
The mortgagee has the following remedies if the mortgagor or life tenant commits waste:
foreclosure or the exercise of other remedies available under the mortgage for default on the secured obligation, if
the waste has impaired the mortgagees security;

an injunction prohibiting future waste or requiring correction of waste already committed, but only to the extent that the
waste has impaired or threatens to impair the mortgagees security; and
recovery of damages, limited by the amount of the waste, to the extent that the waste has impaired the mortgagees
security.
Absent a leasehold provision to the contrary, a tenant for years or a periodic tenant has no common law duty to make
mortgage payments.
Foreclosure
In most jurisdictions, when there is a default on an obligation secured by a mortgage, the mortgagee may:
obtain a judgment against any person who is personally liable on the obligation and, to the extent that the judgment is
not satisfied, foreclose the mortgage on the real estate for the balance; or
foreclose the mortgage and, to the extent that the proceeds of the foreclosure sale do not satisfy the obligation, obtain a
judgment for the deficiency against any person who is personally liable on the obligation.
Today, a mortgagee may foreclose by forcing the sale of property secured by a mortgage after the mortgagor has
defaulted on the promissory note.
A foreclosure sale may be accomplished either through a power of sale or by court order.
A power-of-sale foreclosure occurs without judicial action, pursuant to a power-of-sale clause included in the mortgage
documents.
A judicial foreclosure sale must:
be public;
be properly noticed;
be conducted in a reasonable manner (usually regulated by statute); and
result in a fair sale price.
A fair price is not necessarily the fair market price. Rather, it is arrived at as a result of the mortgagees due diligence in
conducting the foreclosure sale.
A foreclosure sale will not be set aside for inadequacy of the sale price unless the inadequacy is so gross as to shock
the conscience.
A foreclosure sale terminates the mortgagors interest in the mortgaged real estate.
The proceeds of a mortgage foreclosure sale will be distributed in the following order:
to the costs of the sale;
to the security interest foreclosed;
to junior lienholders terminated by the sale; and then
to the mortgagor, if any proceeds remain.
Junior interests (i.e., second or later mortgages) in the property are destroyed by a foreclosure sale.
However, a junior mortgage is not extinguished if the junior mortgagee is not made a defendant in the judicial
proceeding culminating in a foreclosure sale and does not receive notice of the foreclosure sale.

Senior interests not participating in the foreclosure are not affected by a foreclosure sale.
If the proceeds of a foreclosure sale are not sufficient to cover the lien(s) foreclosed, the mortgagee/creditor(s) may
obtain a deficiency judgment against the mortgagor (or a party that has assumed the mortgage) personally, based on
the note. Some states limit deficiency judgments by:
prohibiting deficiency judgments when foreclosure is accomplished privately through a power-of-sale clause;

requiring deficiency judgments to be sought at the same time as foreclosure;

scrutinizing the fairness of the foreclosure sale, particularly if the foreclosure is accomplished by a private sale; or
requiring the mortgagee to set a minimum foreclosure sale price (upset price).
Redemption
The mortgagors interest in the mortgaged property is called the equity, which is short for equity of redemption. At
any time after default but before foreclosure, the mort-gagor has the right to redeem the property by paying the debt
due. The right to redeem may not be waived (clogged) at the time the mortgage is created.
About one-half of the states have a fixed time period (612 months) after a foreclo-sure sale has occurred for the
mortgagor to redeem (by matching the foreclosure price).
Priorities
Purchase-Money Mortgage
A purchase-money mortgage is a mortgage given to a vendor of the real estate or to a third-party lender, to the extent
that the proceeds of the loan are used to acquire title to the real estate or construct improvements on the real estate, if
the mortgage is given as part of the same transaction in which title is acquired. A purchase-money mortgage is given
priority over a lien (e.g., judgment lien or a homestead claim) that attaches to the property through actions of the
purchaser/ mortgagor, even if the lien was recorded first.
Modification
If a senior mortgage is modified, a junior mortgage prevails over the modification if the modification materially prejudices the
holder of the junior mortgage, such as by:

increasing the amount of principal; or

increasing the interest rate (if the rate under the original mortgage was fixed).
Modifications that normally do not materially prejudice the holder of the junior mort-gage include:
extension of the mortgage maturity date; and
rescheduling installment payments.
Transfers
Transfer by Mortgagor
If the mortgagor transfers the property subject to the mortgage, and mortgage payments are not made, the mortgagee
may foreclose and force the property to be sold. However, the transferee of the property does not have personal liability
for the debt.
If the transferee of mortgaged real property assumes the mortgage, and mortgage payments are not made, the
mortgagee may foreclose and force the property to be sold.
In addition, the transferee of the mortgage has personal liability and can be held liable for any deficiency.
In a novation, the transferee of real property and the mortgagee agree that the transferee will assume the mortgage and
the mortgagor will be released from liability.
Transfer by Mortgagee
The mortgagee may also transfer his interest in the mortgaged property. The mort-gage generally follows the transfer of the
mortgage note. If the note is negotiable, the transferee may qualify as a holder in due course, who takes free and clear of
certain personal defenses, such as lack of consideration, duress by nonphysical threat, and fraud in the inducement.

However, the transferee will take subject to real defenses, such as infancy, duress by physical threat, and fraud in the
factum.

kickstart

Mortgage Alternatives
In a deed of trust, the debtor/note-maker is the settlor, who gives a deed of trust to a trustee who is closely connected
to the lender. In the event of a default, the trustee is directed to proceed with a foreclosure sale. Deeds of trust are
generally treated like mortgages.
In an installment land-sale contract, the buyer takes possession under a contract of sale and makes payments to the
seller. The seller delivers a deed and legal title only when the payments have been completed. If the buyer defaults, an
installment land-sale contract usually provides for forfeiture of all installments paid, allowing the lender to retake the
property. However, some states require a foreclosure proceeding for an installment land-sale contract. In some states, if
a foreclosure occurs, the seller is required to refund to the buyer all installments already paid, as long as these
payments are more than the damages suffered by the seller.
In many states, a buyer who defaults under an installment land-sale contract is granted a grace period to pay off the
loan. The buyer may keep the land while he is paying under a new payment schedule.
If a seller under an installment land-sale contract has accepted late payments from the buyer, the seller may be
deemed to have waived his right to demand timely payment. If this is the case, when the seller wishes the buyer to
begin paying in a timely manner, he must send the buyer written notice and allow the buyer a reason-able amount of
time to make back payments owed.

604

Outline

V. LAND USE

Easements
An easement is an interest in the land of another.
Nature of Easements
Easements may be either affirmative or negative, and they may be either appurte-nant or in gross.
Most easements are affirmative in nature. An affirmative easement gives the holder the right to do something on the
land of another.
EXAMPLE: Alpha has the right to walk across Betas land.
A negative easement gives the holder the right to prevent a landowner from doing something on his land. The common law
recognized only the following four types of negative easements: light, air, water, and lateral and subjacent support. A writing is
always required to create a negative easement.

EXAMPLE: Alpha may prevent Beta from building a house that blocks light to Alphas land.
An easement appurtenant requires a dominant and servient tenement.
EXAMPLE: A has the right to cross over Bs property from the road to reach
As property. A has the dominant estate because the easement benefits A in the use of her property. B has the servient
estate because her land is bur-dened with the easement. Therefore, A has an easement appurtenant.
An easement in gross is personal in nature, resulting in a servient but not a dominant estate.
EXAMPLE: A utility company has the right to lay its utility cable across As land. The cable assists the company in
providing its utility services to its customers. As land is the servient estate because it is burdened by the utility
companys right to lay its cable across As land. However, there is no dominant estate; the benefit of the easement is
personal to the utility company because the easement does not benefit the company in the use of its land. Therefore,
the utility company has an easement in gross.
Creation of Easements
An easement may be created expressly through a writing, by implication, by prescription, or by estoppel.
An easement is an interest in land. Therefore, the Statute of Frauds generally requires a writing to create an easement.
An affirmative easement may be created by implication either by prior use or by necessity.
An easement implied by prior use requires:
severance of title to land held in common ownership;
an existing, apparent, and continuous use when severance occurs (quasi-easement); and
That use alone cannot constitute an easement because an owner cannot have an easement across his own property.
the parties intended use to continue after division of land since use is reasonably necessary for the enjoyment of the
dominant part at the time of severance.
However, some courts may require strict necessity if the implied easement is reserved and not granted.

605

kickstart

An easement implied by necessity requires:

severance of title to land held in common ownership; and
strict necessity for the easement at the time of severance.
EXAMPLE: O owns a large parcel of land. The parcel is bordered by a two-lane road on the east and dense forest on
the north, south, and west. O lives in a house at the northwest corner of the parcel and regularly drives to and from his
house on a gravel road that crosses the northeast portion of the parcel and opens onto the road. O then conveys the
west half of the parcel to A. When A attempts to access the road by driving across the northeast portion of the parcel, he
finds O has erected a barrier. The question is whether A has an implied easement across the portion of the parcel
retained by O. O initially owned the entire tract, thereby satisfying the initial unity of ownership requirement. He then
severed that unity when he con-veyed the west half of the parcel to A. A has no direct access to his parcel because it is
surrounded by Os parcel on the east and dense forest on the north, south, and west. The landlocked nature of As
estate should satisfy the strict necessity requirement for an implied easement by necessity.
An affirmative easement may be created by prescription, which requires proof of the use of property that is:
open and notorious;
actual;
continuous (the traditional period for prescription is 20 years);
hostile; and
exclusive.
Some courts require prescriptive use to be exclusive. In this context, exclusive means that the use is not shared with the
whole world. The user may share use of the easement with the owner.

Creation of an easement by estoppel requires proof of an act or representa-tion by the owner of the burdened estate in
respect to the easement, justifiable reliance on that act or representation by the owner of the benefited estate, and
damages suffered by the owner of the benefited estate if the easement is not recognized.
Transfer of Easements
Both the benefit and the burden of an easement may be transferred according to the following rules:
when the dominant tenement is transferred, the benefit of an easement or a profit appurtenant follows the transferred
estate, even if the deed of convey-ance does not specifically mention the easement or profit; or
Traditionally, the benefit of an easement in gross could not be trans-ferred. However, the modern rule permits transfer of
an easement in gross if the grantor of the easement so intends, and the easement is commercial in nature.
in the case of an express easement, transfer of the servient estate will result in an accompanying transfer of the burden, so
long as the holder of the dominant tenement has complied with the provisions of the relevant recording statute.

Termination of Easements
An easement may be terminated by any of the following methods:
an easement may be created for a specific term, such as 10 years;
When the time period ends, the easement is terminated.
a release occurs when the holder of the dominant estate releases his interest to the holder of the servient estate;

606

Outline

an easement is terminated when the dominant and servient estates come into common ownership;
an easement may be terminated by abandonment;
Abandonment requires proof of:
intent to abandon; and
an affirmative act in furtherance of the intent.
an easement may be terminated by estoppel;
Estoppel requires proof of:
an act or representation in respect to the easement;
justifiable reliance on that act or representation; and
damages.
an easement may be terminated by prescription (use adverse to the easement for the statutory period); or
an easement will be terminated when a governmental body acquires the servient estate through an exercise of the
eminent domain power.
Profits
A profit prendre is a nonpossessory interest in land.
The holder of the profit has the right to take resources from the land of another.
Profits, unlike easements, permit the right to remove something from the land, as opposed to mere use of the land.
Examples of resources include, but are not limited to, soil, timber, and minerals. EXAMPLE: A has the right to take
gravel from Bs land.
Profits can only be created expressly or by prescription.
With the exception of creation, all rules governing alienation and termination of ease-ments are applicable to profits.
License
A license is a privilege, usually to do something on someone elses property.
Neither a writing nor consideration is required to create a license.
Because a license is personal, it is not transferable unless the licensor so intends.
A license expires on the death of the licensor or the conveyance of the servient estate.
A license is generally revocable at the will of the licensor. However, a license may become irrevocable in two situations:
a license coupled with an interest exists when one person owns personal prop-erty on the land of another and has a
privilege incidental to such personal property to come on the land to use or recover the personalty; and
an executed license is based on estoppel and often involves substantial expenditure of funds in reliance on the promisors
promise to allow the promisee to use the land. An executed license is sometimes deemed to be the equivalent of an
easement.

Covenants that Run with the Land

A covenant that runs with the land is a promise that attaches to land. In that cove-nant, the covenantor promises to do or
refrain from doing something on his land.

In contrast to easements, most running covenants are negative in nature.

EXAMPLE: Landowner promises that she will not build anything other than a single-family residence on her premises.
Running covenants include promises to pay rent, condominium common charges, or maintenance fees.
For a covenant to run with the land, the following elements must be satisfied:
writing;
A covenant that runs with the land is a promise that attaches to land. Therefore, a covenant that runs at law must be
embodied in a writing that satisfies the Statute of Frauds.

607

kickstart

intent;
The writing must include language that shows the parties intent for the covenant to run.
Typically, the covenant will state that the covenantor promises on behalf of himself and his heirs, successors, and
assigns to do or to refrain from doing something on his land for the benefit of the covenantee and his heirs, succes-sors,
and assigns.
privity;
Horizontal privity is the relationship that exists between the original cove-nantor and covenantee. In most jurisdictions
in the United States, the hori-zontal privity requirement is satisfied by a conveyance of land between the covenantee and
covenantor, which occurs by the same deed that includes the covenant. Horizontal privity may also exist when the
covenant is created in a lease or in the transfer of an easement.
Traditionally, horizontal privity was required for both the benefit and the burden to run.
Under the modern rule, horizontal privity is not required for the benefit to run.

Vertical privity is the relationship that exists between an original party to a running covenant and the successor in
interest to the original party. To demon-strate vertical privity, the plaintiff must show that the successor stepped into the
shoes of the original party by taking the entire interest held by the original party. For example, if the original covenantor
took a fee simple interest in land and then attempted to make a conveyance to a subsequent party, vertical privity would
exist between the original covenantor and the successor only if the successor received a fee simple interest.
Traditionally, vertical privity is required for both the benefit and burden to run.
For the burden to run, privity of estate will only exist when the holder of the servient estate transfers all of his interest in
the servient estate to the new owner.
For the benefit to run, privity of estate can exist when the holder of the dominant estate is transferring all or part of his
interest.
touch and concern; and
To touch and concern, a covenant must exercise direct influence on the occu-pation, use, or enjoyment of the premises.
The benefit touches if it increases the value of the benefited property. The burden touches if it decreases the value of
the burdened property.
Traditionally, both the benefit and the burden had to touch for either side to run.
notice.
Originally, notice was not a requirement for a covenant to run with the land at law. However, the introduction of recording
statutes into American law

caused a notice requirement to be grafted onto the requirements for a running covenant. The parameters of notice are
determined according to the terms of the relevant recording statute. Notice under recording acts is necessary for the
burden to run.
Equitable Servitude
A court may enforce a covenant as an equitable servitude if:
the plaintiff can establish at law all of the elements for a covenant that runs with the land, but the plaintiff seeks equitable
relief; or
the plaintiff cannot establish at law all of the elements for a covenant that runs with the land, but the plaintiff can
demonstrate the relaxed requirements for an equitable servitude. These elements relate closely to the elements required

for a covenant to run at law.

608

Outline

If the plaintiff cannot show that the covenant was embodied in a writing, the plaintiff may prove the covenant through
part performance or estoppel.
If the plaintiff cannot show intent in a writing for the covenant to run, he may nevertheless establish intent by showing a
common scheme. A common scheme typically exists in a subdivision. If a sufficient number of lots in the subdivision are
burdened by the same covenant, the court may find that a common scheme binds all of the lots in the subdivision,
including those that do not have the restriction written into the deed.
Neither horizontal nor vertical privity are required for the enforcement of an equitable servitude.
The intent element must be demonstrated for both the benefit and burden.
The touch and concern element must still be demonstrated for both the benefit and burden.
The parameters of notice for the burden to run are determined according to the terms of the relevant recording statute.
If the owner of two or more lots, so situated as to bear the relation, sells one with restrictions of benefit to the land
retained, the servitude becomes mutual and the owner of the lot or lots retained may not do anything forbidden to the
owner of the lot sold, creating an implied reciprocal servitude. In most jurisdictions, a negative reciprocal easement may be created by filing a declaration containing the restrictions (the
CC&Rs, which are covenants, conditions, and restrictions) before any lots are sold.
The following factors may show a common scheme:
a large percentage of lots expressly burdened;
oral representations to buyers;
statements in written advertisements, sales brochures, or maps given to buyers; or
recorded plat maps or declarations.
In the absence of an express restriction in the deed, the burden will not be imposed on a lot conveyed before the
conveyance of the first lot with an express restriction.
The burden will be imposed on lots (even in the absence of an express restriction in the deed to those lots) if a common
scheme was evident at the time of convey-ance of those lots.
The original subdivider may enforce a benefit unless he has sold all of the property.
Traditionally, a benefit could not be enforced by a buyer who purchased his subdi-vision lot before the conveyance of
the burdened lot. In some jurisdictions, the existence of the common scheme is sufficient to show that the subdivider
intended to benefit all purchasers, whether they took prior or subsequent to the conveyance that created the burden. In
other jurisdictions, a previous grantee may sue as a third-party beneficiary.
If a common scheme is present, suit may be brought by the purchaser of a lot conveyed after the lot with the express
restriction (because that restriction was for the benefit of the grantor and his heirs and assigns, and the subsequent
purchaser is a successor to the grantor).
A condominium or subdivision association may enforce a benefit if the covenant is to benefit common land conveyed by
the developer to the association.
Zoning
The state possesses the power to regulate for the health, safety, and welfare of its citizens. Through an enabling act,
the state may delegate to a municipality the authority to protect the welfare of its citizens by enacting a zoning
ordinance.

A zoning ordinance may be challenged under the Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses. A zoning ordinance may
also be subject to a First Amendment challenge if it regulates billboards or aesthetics.

609

kickstart

Eminent Domain
Constitutional Protection
Under the Takings Clause of the Fifth Amendment (which is made applicable to the states through the Fourteenth
Amendment), private property may not be taken for a public use without just compensation.
The government may take a fee simple interest in property. The government may also take an easement in property or
an interest in an estate in the property.
In the 20th century, the public use requirement of the Takings Clause came to be construed broadly to mean any
advantage or benefit to the public. The public advantage or purpose approach permits a taking when the facility for
which the property was taken provides the public with a benefit or advantage, such as the taking of property for urban
renewal. Traditionally, public use has been scruti-nized at the lowest level of scrutiny, which defers to the legislature.
However, the Supreme Court recently opened the door for state courts to adopt a heightened level of scrutiny for takings
for economic redevelopment.
The just compensation requirement derives from equitable principles of fairness. Therefore, just compensation is
generally equated with fair market value. However, just compensation does not account for intangibles such as
sentimental value or special suitabilities.
Traditionally, the government is not required to pay just compensation if it takes property for nuisance prevention.
Taking
A taking occurs when the government exercises the eminent domain power to take private property. For example, in a
condemnation proceeding, a city may use the eminent domain power to take (buy) the property of residents in a location
targeted for economic redevelopment.
A per se taking occurs when a government action results in a permanent physical occupation of private property. A
permanent physical occupation is classified as a per se taking, without resort to a balancing testfor example, a
governmental body enacts an ordinance that requires the owner of an apartment building to permit a cable company to
install its cable wires across the owners building.
In contrast, if a physical invasion by governmental action is temporary, a taking analysis requires a balancing of the
importance of the public benefit achieved by the government action against the extent of the economic injury to the
property owner.
A governmental regulation may constitute a taking if it goes too far. To deter-mine whether a regulation goes too far,
the court generally engages in a balancing test. The court considers the economic impact of the regulation on the
property owner, the extent to which the regulation interferes with distinct investment-backed expectations, and the
character of the governmental action.
Money damages may be awarded for a regulatory taking. Damages may be awarded for the time period between the
enactment of an ordinance and a judicial declaration of

taking.
Exaction Fee
An exaction is a fee or dedication that is exacted from a property owner who seeks to develop his property as a
means of offsetting the potential impact of the development. Exactions may be monetary or nonmonetary.
A monetary exaction is an impact or in-lieu fee that is assessed against the developer to pay for public benefits, such as
roads and parks, that arise as a result of the development.

A nonmonetary exaction is a dedication of an interest in land within a subdivision for streets or parks that are needed
as a result of the development.
A special set of rules has been developed for nonmonetary exactions. Most experts agree that nonmonetary exactions
should be judged under these rules only and that these rules should not be used for other regulatory takings.

610

Outline

The exaction must substantially advance a legitimate state interest. That substantial advancement can be shown only if
there is an essential nexus between the exaction and the state interest, which means that the exaction must
reasonably related to the impact alleged.
There must be a rough proportionality between the exaction and the impact of the development. The court must make
an individualized determination that the exaction is related in both nature and extent to the impact of the proposed
development. Thus, the burden shifts to the government to justify the exaction.
Nuisance
A public nuisance is an unreasonable interference with a right common to the general public. An action may interfere
unreasonably with a public right if it interferes significantly with public health, safety, or convenience, or is proscribed by
statute or ordinance. To recover damages or seek an injunction in an action based on a public nuisance, an individual
plaintiff must have suffered harm that is different from that suffered by other members of the public exercising the right
common to the general public that was the subject of interference.
A private nuisance is a substantial and unreasonable invasion (intentional or negli-gent) of anothers interest in his use
and enjoyment of land. To determine the existence of a private nuisance, a court balances the utility of the conduct
against the gravity of the harm caused by the conduct.
Coming to the nuisance is a factor that may be considered in weighing the utility of the conduct against the gravity of
the harm. However, coming to the nuisance is not a complete bar to suit.
The following persons have standing to sue for a private nuisance affecting a parcel of land:
possessors of the land;
owners of easements and profits in the land; and
owners of nonpossessory estates in the land that are detrimentally affected by interferences with its use and enjoyment.
Damages and injunctive relief may be recovered in a suit for private nuisance.
Support Rights
An owner of real property has the exclusive right to use and possess the surface, airspace, and soil of the property.
Lateral Support
An owner of land has no liability if a subsiding of neighboring land is caused by natural conditions on the owners land.
However, a landowner may be strictly liable if his excavation causes adjacent land to subside (sink). If the adjacent land
is improved, strict liability applies only if the adjacent land would have collapsed in its natural state. Even if the adjacent
land would not have collapsed in its natural state, the landowner is only liable for damages resulting from negligence.
The courts are split on whether money damages may be recovered for injury to the improvements.
Subjacent Support
The right of support extends to land in its natural state and buildings existing on the date when the subjacent estate is
severed from the surface. However, the under-ground landowner is liable for damages to subsequently erected
buildings only if he is negligent.
An underground occupant (e.g. mining company) is liable for negligently damaging springs and wells, but an adjoining
landowner is not liable for interfering with under-ground percolating water.
Water Rights
Title to lands under a non-navigable lake, river, or stream is in the abutting owner, and extends to the center of the body
of water.

611

kickstart

Riparian rights are rights in water enjoyed by an owner of land that abuts a navigable natural river, stream, or lake. A
body of water is considered navigable if it can be used for commerce. Several different sets of rules have been
developed concerning the use of riparian water by adjoining landowners.
Traditionally, a riparian owner was entitled to make only such use of riparian water as would not interrupt the natural
flow of the body of water. Under the natural flow doctrine, a landowner may make unlimited use of riparian water for
domestic or natural uses such as drinking and bathing. However, a landowner may use riparian water for artificial uses,
such as irrigation, only if the use does not substantially diminish the flow of the body of water. Today, very few
jurisdictions follow the natural flow doctrine.
Under the reasonable use doctrine, a riparian owner may make reasonable use of riparian water so long as his use
does not interfere unreasonably with the rights of other riparian owners. Such reasonable use is restricted to riparian
land, which is defined as land lying within the watershed. Most American jurisdictions currently follow the reasonable
use doctrine.
The prior appropriation doctrine awards the right to use water to the first person to take the water for beneficial
purposes. The prior appropriation doctrine was developed and is still followed in western states where water resources
are scarce. Prior appropriation rules are usually set by state statute.
Diffuse surface water is water from rain or melted snow that runs over the surface of land outside of a recognizable
body of water. Several different sets of rules have been developed concerning the use of diffuse surface water.
Under the common enemy rule, an owner may use any method available to keep diffuse surface water from coming
onto his land. Traditionally, the common enemy rule was followed in crowded urban areas, primarily in northeastern
states.
Under the civil law rule, an owner was not permitted to interfere with the flow of diffuse surface water. Traditionally, the
civil law rule was followed in western states with vast open spaces.
Under the reasonable use rule, an owner may use reasonable means to alter the flow of diffuse surface water, even if
surrounding landowners are harmed.
Underground water is water that runs beneath the surface of the land.
The use of underground streamswhere the water flows in a well-defined, known, and permanent channelis
governed by the rules applied to riparian waters.
Percolating underground water is water that percolates through the subsurface of the land. The rules governing the
use of percolating underground water vary from state to state.
Under the English absolute ownership doctrine, a possessor of land may take as much of the water percolating under
his land as he desires. This is known as the rule of capture.
Some states apply the reasonable use test to percolating underground water.
A few states use a correlative rights test, which provides that all owners of land situated over a pool of underground
water have equal rights to use the water.
In some states, prior appropriation statutes have been enacted to govern the use of percolating underground water.
Crops / Emblements
The common law distinguishes between naturally growing crops, which are called fructus naturales, and crops
produced by human labor, which are called fructus industriales.
Fructus naturales are plants, such as trees, grasses, and perennial shrubs, that grow naturally on the land. Growing
fructus naturales are considered to be part of the land. Thus, growing fructus naturales pass with a conveyance of the
land and are subject to a mortgage on the land, unless they are specifically excluded.

612

Outline

The sale of growing fructus naturales is a conveyance of an interest in land, unless immediate severance of the
crop by either the seller or the buyer is contemplated.
Because unsevered fructus naturales are considered real property, a convey-ance of unsevered fructus naturales
must be made by a writing that satisfies the Statute of Frauds.
If the trunks or roots of fructus naturales are located on the property line of adjoining landowners, the landowners
own the trees as tenants in common.
Fructus industriales, or emblements, are annual growing crops that result from human cultivation and labor.
Under the common law, fructus industriales are considered to be part of the land and will pass with a conveyance
under the land, unless the grantor expressly reserves the crop in the deed of conveyance.
However, under the common law doctrine of emblements, a life tenant, a peri-odic tenant, and a tenant at will have
the right to harvest fructus industriales planted before the end of the term. However, a tenant for a term of years
has no such right.
Uniform Commercial Code
UCC Article 2 applies to contracts for the sale of timber and growing crops apart from the land, regardless of
whether the item is to be severed by the buyer or the seller. Article 2 does not distinguish between fructus naturales
and fructus industriales.
Under UCC Article 9, a perfected security interest in crops growing on realty has priority over a conflicting interest
of the holder of a lien on the realty or the owner of the realty if the debtor has record title to or possession of the
realty.

613

kickstart

VI. LANDLORD / TENANT

A lease gives the tenant (lessee) exclusive possession of the premises for a period of time.
Creation
A lease may be created expressly, either orally or in writing. A writing generally is required by the Statute of Frauds for a
term of more than one year.
An implied lease may be created by the conduct of the parties when the written lease is an invalid writing. In such a
case, the resulting tenancy will be periodic. An implied lease may also be created when a holdover tenant pays rent and
the landlord (lessor) accepts the rent.
Types of Leases

Types of Leases
Temporarily Pick Another Settlement
Term of Years, Periodic, At-Will, Tenancy at Sufferance

Term of Years
A term of years has a definite beginning and end (e.g., until a set date or for a set number of months or years). No
notice is required to terminate a lease for a term of years.
EXAMPLE: L leases to T for a period of one year.
Periodic
A periodic tenancy has a set beginning date and continues from period to period (e.g., from month to month) without a set
termination date, until proper notice is given.
A periodic tenancy may be created expressly or by implication with a holdover tenant.

Under the traditional rule, a periodic tenancy could be terminated only on the anni-versary date. Improper notice was
deemed ineffective, and the notice period was measured by the rent reservation clause.
Under the modern statutory approach, termination may take place on any date, and the notice period is measured by the rent
payment clause up to a maximum of six months.

At-Will
An at-will lease has no fixed duration and lasts only as long as the landlord and tenant desire. An at-will tenancy
terminates if:
either party dies;
the tenant commits waste;
the tenant attempts to assign his interest;
the landlord transfers his interest; or
the landlord transfers the premises to a third party for a term of years.

If the lease gives the landlord a unilateral right to terminate, most courts find a tenancy at will that may be terminated by
either the landlord or the tenant.
If the lease gives the tenant a unilateral right to terminate, some courts find a tenancy at will that may be terminated by either
the landlord or the tenant.

However, under the modern view, the tenant receives either a life estate or a fee simple, depending on the language
used in the lease.
Tenancy at Sufferance / Holdover Tenancy
A tenancy at sufferance occurs when a tenant remains in possession of the leased premises (holds over) after the end of the
lease term. A tenancy at sufferance is not a true tenancy. In most states, if a residential tenant holds over, the landlord may
recover possession and receive the reasonable rental value for the holdover period.

614

Outline

Parties Duties
Tenants Duties
Pay Rent
A tenant has a duty to pay rent. Under the common law estate theory, the tenants duty to pay rent was not relieved if
the premises were destroyed because the tenant would still have possession of the actual land. There was an exception
to this common law rule where the tenant leased only a portion of the building. In that instance, if the building was
destroyed, the tenant was then excused from paying rent.
Today, there is no distinction between leasing all of a part of a building. The tenant leasing all of a portion of a building
may be relieved from the duty to pay rent if the premises are destroyed.
An exception to this rule exists where the tenant is not relieved from liability for rent when the tenant intentionally or
negligently caused the destruction.
Waste
The tenants duties in respect to waste are similar to those owed by life tenants. However, the tenants duty not to commit
permissive waste (primarily in respect to repairs) is not limited to the extent of income derived from or the reasonable rental
value of the property when the tenant possesses personally.

In addition, a tenant (except possibly a tenant for a long term) may not commit ameliorative waste, which a life tenant
may be permitted to do.
Repair
Under the common law estate theory, the landlord has no duty to repair the premises during the term of the lease. In contrast,
the tenant had a duty not to commit waste, which includes a duty to repair the premises (i.e., not commit permissive waste).
This duty extended to minor repairs that keep the buildings interior safe from water and wind. However, absent a covenant to
the contrary, the tenant was not required to rebuild the premises if they were destroyed

by an act of God. (Under the estate theory, the landlord also had no duty to rebuild).
Landlords and tenants may also agree on how to allocate repair duties. Absent a covenant to the contrary, under the
common law, the tenant is responsible for repairing the premises from casualties, such as damages caused by fire and
storms. The tenant would also be responsible for rebuilding or replacing the premises if they are destroyed by such
casualties.
Under the modern contract theory, the parties are free to covenant for duties that they would not bear under the
common law estate theory.
Under a general covenant to repair, the tenant is required to repair the premises. Usually, this covenant excepts
ordinary wear and tear. The covenant may also except damages caused by act of God, such as fire and weather.
If the tenant covenants to repair without exception, the tenant must make all repairs, regardless of how the damage is
caused.
If there is no covenant in place, the landlord is required to repair damages resulting from casualties.
Under the modern trend, in the absence of a contrary agreement, the tenant is not required to rebuild if the destruction
was not his fault.
Landlords Duties
The landlord has a duty to deliver possession of the premises to the tenant at the start of the lease term.
The majority (English) rule requires delivery of actual possession.
The minority (American) rule requires delivery of the legal right to possession only.

615

kickstart

EXAMPLE: L and T execute a valid lease giving T a term of one year. On the date on which the lease commences, T
discovers that the previous tenant
is still on the premises because she has held over after the expiration of her term. Under the American rule, L has properly
delivered possession because L gave T the legal right to the leased premises when L and T executed the lease. However,
under the English rule, L has not properly delivered posses-sion. The presence of the old tenant on the premises prevents L
from deliver-ing actual possession to T on the date on which the lease commences.

Typically, state law creates certain duties for the landlord, such as the provision of running water and heat.
The lease document may also create certain duties for the landlord, such as the duty to repair within the leased
premises.
Every lease contains a covenant of quiet enjoyment (express or implied). In the covenant of quiet enjoyment, the
landlord promises that the tenant will not be disturbed by the landlord (or someone claiming through the landlord)
during his possession of the premises. A tenant may treat the lease as terminated and with-hold rent if the covenant of
quiet enjoyment has been breached by an actual or constructive eviction.
A tenant may treat the lease as terminated and withhold rent if the landlord or someone claiming through him breaches
the covenant of quiet enjoyment by actual eviction of the tenant.
Under the majority rule, if a tenant is actually evicted from part of the premises by landlord, the tenant is relieved of all
liability for rent, even if the tenant continues to occupy the rest of the premises. However, the Second Restatement of
Property rejects the majority rule and calls for a rent abatement only.
When a tenant is partially evicted by an act of the landlord (or his agent), rent abatement attributable to the portion from
which the tenant has been evicted is appropriate.
A tenant may treat the lease as terminated and withhold rent if the landlord breaches the covenant of quiet enjoyment
by constructive eviction of the tenant. For a constructive eviction to exist:
the landlords act must substantially and permanently interfere with the tenants use and enjoyment of the premises;
and
the tenant must move out.
The following acts by the landlord constitute constructive eviction:
withholding something essential to the full enjoyment of the property that is included within the terms of the lease, such
as heat; and
withholding something required by statute, such as hot and cold running water.
A landlord probably constructively evicts the tenant if he breaches one of the following landlord duties created at
common law:
making and keeping the premises habitable in a short-term lease of a furnished dwelling;
disclosing latent defects existing in the premises, known to the landlord, and undiscoverable by the tenant at the time the
lease was made;

maintaining common areas used by all tenants;

using due care in making promised or volunteered repairs;
refraining from making fraudulent misrepresentations concerning the condition of the leased premises; or
in some jurisdictions, abetting immoral conduct or abetting nuisances on properties owned by the landlord that may affect the
leased premises.

616

Outline

Under the majority rule, if a tenant is constructively evicted from part of the premises, the tenant may receive a rent
abatement but is not relieved of all liability for rent.
In some states, if a landlords breach of the covenant of quiet enjoyment does not constitute actual eviction or is not
substantial enough to constitute constructive eviction, the tenant who remains on the premises can seek money damages
from the landlord.
Under the modern trend, the landlord is deemed to have impliedly warranted that the residential premises are fit for
habitation. The implied warranty of habitability guarantees that the landlord will deliver and maintain premises that are
safe, clean, and fit for human habitation.
To prove that the landlord has breached this warranty, the tenant must show a defect in essential residential facilities.
In the majority of jurisdictions, the defect may be patent (obvious) or latent (nonobvious).
Some jurisdictions exclude patent defects from the scope of the implied warranty of habitability.
To claim a breach of the implied warranty of habitability, the tenant must:
provide the landlord with notice of the defect; and
allow the landlord reasonable time to make necessary repairs.

Note The implied warranty of habitability applies to residential leases. Commercial leases are not covered by the
warranty. The following leases may also be excluded from coverage under the implied warranty of habitability: leases for
single-family residences, agricul-tural leases, long-term leases, and casual leases made by non-merchant landlords.
In some jurisdictions, a housing code violation automatically breaches the implied warranty of habitability. In other
jurisdictions, the housing code provides the stan-dard; however, substantial compliance with the code is sufficient so long
as habit-ability is not affected. In some jurisdictions, the standard for the implied warranty is found in the common law,
even in the absence of a housing code. In those jurisdic-tions, a breach of the warranty may be found if the premises are
uninhabitable in the view of a reasonable person.
If the landlord breaches the implied warranty of habitability:
the tenant is excused from further performance under the lease;
the tenant may, but need not, vacate the premises;
the tenant may treat the lease as canceled, and the rent is abated;
the tenant may seek money damages; and
Some courts use the contract measure of damages for breach of warranty, which is the value of the premises as
warranted less the value of the premises as received, and agreed rent is evidence of the rental value.
Other jurisdictions measure damages by finding the difference between the agreed rent and the fair rental value of the premises
received.

the tenant may seek reformation or other traditional contract or tort remedies.
Remedies for Breach of Duty
Landlords Remedies for Tenants Breach of Duty
If the tenant fails to pay rent or commits another material breach of the lease, the landlord may seek:
to evict the tenant; and/or

to recover damages for the tenants breach.

Traditionally, acceleration of rent was not available to the landlord for anticipatory breach of a lease by the tenant.
However, the modern rule permits the use of rent acceleration clauses in leases.

617

kickstart

In an action for rent, the tenant may defend on the grounds of non-compliance by the landlord or on the ground of
destruction of the premises.
A tenant abandons the premises if he vacates the premises without intent to return and fails to pay rent. Traditionally, if
the tenant abandons the premises, the landlord may:
retake the premises;
ignore an abandonment and continue to hold the tenant liable for rent; or
reenter and relet the premises.
Under the traditional view, if the tenant abandons the premises, the land-lord has no duty to mitigate by attempting to
relet the premises. However, under the modern view, the landlord has a duty to mitigate if the tenant abandons. If
mitigation is required, the burden of proof is placed on the landlord to show that he attempted to mitigate his losses.
Traditionally, a landlord was allowed to use self-help to remove a breaching tenant from the premises. However, under the
modern approach, self-help is prohibited or carefully constrained. The landlord must seek court action to reenter the premises.
A security deposit may be retained by a landlord only to the extent necessary to cover actual loss that the deposit was
intended to secure (e.g., unpaid rent, damage).

Retaliatory eviction (e.g., eviction in response to tenants complaints about land-lord) is prohibited in most states.

Constructive Eviction and

Breach of Implied Warranty of Habitability
Theory
Basis for
Effects of Breach
Remedies

Cause of Action
on the Lease
Available

Constructive Eviction
The tenant must
The tenant is
The tenant may
(Breach of Covenant
show an interference
excused from further
treat the lease as
of Quiet Enjoyment)
with beneficial use
performance under
canceled. Rent is

and enjoyment of

the lease. The

abated.

the premises serious

tenant must vacate

enough to amount to
the premises within

an eviction.
a reasonable time.

Breach of Implied
The tenant must
The tenant is
The tenant may
Warranty of
show a patent or
excused from further
treat the lease as
Habitability
latent defect in
performance under
canceled. Rent

essential residential
the lease. The
is abated. The

facilities.
tenant may, but
tenant may seek

need not, vacate the

money damages,

premises.
reformation, or other

traditional contract

or tort remedies.

Tenants Remedies for Landlords Breach of Duty

a. A tenant may seek money damages for the landlords breach of the lease.
Traditionally, a tenant may vacate the premises and terminate the lease if the tenant has been evicted by the landlord,
actually or constructively.
Statutes in many jurisdictions provide the tenant with the following statutory remedies:
withholding rent; or
repairing the premises and deducting the cost of repair from subsequent rent payments.

618

Outline

A landlord is not liable to the tenant or others on the premises with the consent of the tenant for injuries caused by a
condition of the premises, except in the following situations:
an undisclosed dangerous condition exists that is known or should have been known to the landlord but is unknown to
the tenant;
a condition exists that is dangerous to persons outside of the premises;
the premises are leased for admission to the public;
parts of land are retained in the landlords control but are available for use by the tenant;
the landlord has contracted to repair; or
the landlord has been negligent in making repairs.
F. Assignments and Subleases
An assignment occurs when the tenant transfers to a third person (the assignee) all of his rights, title, and interest in
the leased premises. An assignee comes into privity of estate with the landlord.
Therefore, if the rent is not paid, the landlord may sue the assignee, so long as the assignee remains on the premises.
However, the landlord may not sue the assignee after the assignee has transferred the premises to another third
person, unless the assignee had assumed the duty to pay rent.
A sublease occurs when the tenant transfers to a third person (the subtenant or sublessee) less than all of his rights,
title, and interest in the leased premises. A subtenant does not come into privity of estate with the landlord. Therefore,
absent an express assumption of the duty to pay rent, the landlord may not sue the subtenant directly for rent due.
Covenants against assignments and/or subleases are construed strictly against the landlord.
Under the Rule in Dumpors Case, once waived, a covenant against assignment is unenforceable as to the next
assignment.
The Rule in Dumpors Case does not apply to subleases.

619

kickstart

VII. FIXTURES

In General
A fixture is a chattel that has become so connected to real property that a disinterested observer would consider the
chattel to be part of the realty.
EXAMPLE: If a homeowner attaches a bookshelf to the wall of her home, it retains its separate identity after the
attachment, and thus is not a fixture. However, the same bookshelf built into the wall becomes part of the realty, and
thus is a fixture.
When one person owns a chattel and the land to which the chattel is to be fixed, the chattel becomes a fixture if:
it is annexed to the real property;
it has been appropriated to the use of the land; and
the annexor intends it to be a fixture.
A chattel may be deemed annexed to the land if:
it is permanently attached to real property or to something appurtenant to the real property;
Example: A chain-link fence may be deemed annexed to the land if it is erected around a parcel of land by placing
posts into holes in the ground.
it would be difficult to move solely based on its own weight; or
Example: A large, heavy statue may be deemed annexed to the land if it is placed on the ground in a backyard garden.
it is constructively annexed to the property by being specially designed for the prop-erty or a fixture on the property.
Example: Hurricane shutters custom designed for a house may be classified as annexed to the house, even if they are
removed and stored in the garage during winter months.
An annexed chattel may become a fixture if the chattel is so necessary or convenient to the use of the land that it is
commonly regarded as part of the land. In determining whether a chattel has been appropriated to the use of the land,
the court will consider the nature of the land or structure to which the chattel is affixed.
EXAMPLE: Chairs in a movie theater will be deemed appropriated to the use of the land, while chairs placed in the kitchen of
an apartment may not be regarded as such.
Intent to annex a chattel is a question of fact that is judged objectively, according to a reasonable person standard. The finder
of fact considers the nature of the chattel, the degree of annexation, and the appropriateness of the chattel to the propertys
use.

Transfers, Severance, and Change of Ownership

When both the chattel and the land are owned by the same person, a deed to the real property will transfer all of the
fixtures on the property. However, the buyer and seller may agree that the seller may remove certain fixtures from the
property before title is transferred to the buyer.
Example: A deed describing a lot of land also transfers the house on the lot and the plumbing fixtures in the house.
An owner of a chattel may affix it to land also owned by that person which later becomes encumbered by a mortgage. In that
case, the mortgage extends to both the land and the fixture. If the chattel is attached to land already encumbered by a
mortgage, the prior mortgage also encompasses the chattel, even though the mortgagee thereby receives a security interest
that is greater than the one bargained for by the mortgagee.

620

Outline

If a fixture and the land to which it is attached are subject to common ownership, the owner is free to sever the chattel
physically and permanently from the premises. In that case, the fixture regains its status as personal property. A
constructive severance of a fixture may occur when the owner of the land expressly reserves the fixture in a contract of
sale for the land or deed of conveyance of the land.
Under Article 2 of the Uniform Commercial Code, a contract for the sale of a structure to be removed from realty is a contract
for the sale of goods if the structure is to be severed from the land by the seller. Article 2 also applies to contracts for the sale
of other things attached to realty and capable of severance without material harm to the land, regardless of whether the item is
to be severed by the buyer or by the seller.

Trade Fixture
A trade fixture is a chattel that is annexed to the land by a tenant (i.e., a life tenant, tenant for a term, periodic tenant,
or tenant at will) to advance his business or trade during his tenancy.
During a tenancy, a tenant is free to remove a trade fixture. If a tenant removes a trade fixture, he is responsible for
repairing damages caused by its removal. In some states, the trade fixture exception has been broadened to include
domestic and/or ornamental fixtures.
At common law, if the tenancy is for a definite term and ends on a certain day, trade fixtures must be removed before the end
of the term or they become part of the realty.

Most states refuse to follow the common law rule that a tenant forfeits his trade fixtures by failing to remove them before
expiration of the lease term. To encourage trade and industry, a tenant is permitted to remove trade fixtures within a
reason-able time after the expiration of a lease.
EXAMPLE: L leases Blackacre to T as a store for three years, with a set termina-tion date. During the term, T firmly affixes
shelves to the floor of the store building.

These shelves are still standing the day after the lease terminates. Under the com-mon law rule, the shelves remain
fixtures on the property and belong to L because
T did not remove them before the end of the term. However, under the modern view, T has not yet forfeited his interest
in the shelves. Instead, T will be given a reasonable time after the termination date to remove the shelves.
Security Interest
A security interest may be created if a chattel becomes or already is a fixture [UCC 9-334(a)]. Often, the land to which
the chattel is affixed is encumbered with a mortgage.
Under the common law, priority of recording will determine priority between a security interest in a fixture and a
conflicting security interest in the realty to which the fixture is attached.
Under Uniform Commercial Code Section 9-334, a security interest in a fixture is subor-dinate to a mortgage or other
lien on the land to which the fixture is attached. However, in the following cases, a lien on the fixture may be given
priority:
a purchase-money security interest in a fixture will have priority over a conflicting lien on the real property to which the fixture
is attached if [UCC 9-334(d)]:

the purchaser of the fixture has record title to or possession of the real prop-erty to which the fixture is attached; and
the security interest in the chattel:
attaches before the chattel becomes affixed to the land; and
is perfected by a fixture filing before the goods are attached or within 20 days of the attachment;
a non-purchase-money security interest in a fixture will have priority over a conflicting lien on the real property to which
the fixture is attached if the purchaser of the fixture has record title to or possession of the real property and the security
interest in the chattel [UCC 9-334(e)(1)]:

621

kickstart

is perfected by a fixture filing before the interest of the holder of the lien on the real property or the owner is recorded;
and
has priority over any conflicting interest of a predecessor of the lien holder or the owner;
a security interest in readily movable goods (e.g., office machines) has priority if it is perfected by any method permitted
by Article 9 [UCC 9-334(e)(2)]; and
a security interest in a fixture also has priority over a lien on the realty to which the fixture is attached if the real property
lien was obtained by legal or equitable proceedings after the security interest in the fixture was perfected by any means
permitted under Article 9 [UCC 9-334(e)(3)].
EXAMPLE: Buyer purchases an item from Seller on credit. Buyer grants Seller a security interest in the item. Buyer then
affixes the item to her real property, which is encumbered by a mortgage previously executed by Buyer. Under the common
law, between Seller and the mortgagee of the land, priority will be given to the party that records first. However, under UCC
Section 9-334, the result is different. Under this section, if Seller perfects his interest by a fixture filing within 20 days after
Buyer affixes the item to her land, Seller will prevail over the mortgagee of the

Buyers land.

622