Which form of real estate ownership is held by a single individual with sole title?

Which form of real estate ownership is held by a single individual with sole title?

• A. Tenancy in severalty
• B. Joint Tenancy
• C. Tenancy by the Entirety
• D. Tenancy in Common

Answer: (A)

Holding title in severalty means single ownership by one person or entity. This form of ownership gives one owner complete control of the property—they can sell, mortgage, or encumber it without needing consent from others. There is no right of survivorship, so when the owner dies, the property doesn’t automatically pass to a co-owner; it becomes part of the owner's estate and passes according to their will or state intestacy rules. The other ownership forms involve two or more owners and create either survivorship rights or shared interests. Joint tenancy and tenancy by the entirety include rights of survivorship (and the latter is limited to married couples), while tenancy in common allows co-owners to hold unequal shares with no survivorship and each can transfer their interest independently.

Holding title in severalty means single ownership by one person or entity. This form of ownership gives one owner complete control of the property—they can sell, mortgage, or encumber it without needing consent from others. There is no right of survivorship, so when the owner dies, the property doesn’t automatically pass to a co-owner; it becomes part of the owner's estate and passes according to their will or state intestacy rules.

The other ownership forms involve two or more owners and create either survivorship rights or shared interests. Joint tenancy and tenancy by the entirety include rights of survivorship (and the latter is limited to married couples), while tenancy in common allows co-owners to hold unequal shares with no survivorship and each can transfer their interest independently.