A right or interest in property is called an ______.

A right or interest in property is called an ______.

• A. estate
• B. lien
• C. easement
• D. encumbrance

Answer: (A)

In real property law, a person’s legal right to possess and use property is called an estate. An estate represents an ownership interest that can vary in duration and form, such as fee simple or a life estate. The other terms describe specific burdens or non-ownership rights: a lien is a creditor’s claim against property to secure a debt, an easement is a nonpossessory right to use someone else’s land for a purpose, and an encumbrance is any claim or restriction that burdens the title. So the term that fits “a right or interest in property” is estate.

In real property law, a person’s legal right to possess and use property is called an estate. An estate represents an ownership interest that can vary in duration and form, such as fee simple or a life estate. The other terms describe specific burdens or non-ownership rights: a lien is a creditor’s claim against property to secure a debt, an easement is a nonpossessory right to use someone else’s land for a purpose, and an encumbrance is any claim or restriction that burdens the title. So the term that fits “a right or interest in property” is estate.