Immovable property facts for kids

What is immovable property?

Immovable property is a fancy way to say something that can't be moved. Think of land, buildings, or anything permanently attached to the ground. It's different from things you can pick up and carry, like a book or a bike. When we talk about immovable property, we usually mean the land itself and anything built on it.

What's Included with Immovable Property?

When someone owns immovable property, they get special rights. These rights are part of what lawyers call "real estate law." Owning property means you have the right to use it. You might own the whole property or just a part of it.

What Rights Do Owners Have?

These rights can include many things. For example, you might have the right to own buildings on the land. You could also have the right to collect rent if you let someone else use your property. Sometimes, these rights are passed down through a family, which is called inherited rights. Other rights might be a "right of way," which means you can cross someone else's land to get to yours. Even things like ferries or fisheries can be part of immovable property rights.

What's Not Included?

However, not everything on the land is considered immovable property. Things that grow naturally or are planted for a short time are usually not included. This means things like grass, crops, or trees that are still growing are generally not part of the immovable property itself. Once they are cut down, they become "movable" property.

Immovable Property Around the World

The idea of immovable property is similar in many countries. In many legal systems, it's the same as "real property." This means it's land or any permanent structure above or below the ground.

Different Rules in Different Countries

Some countries have different rules about who can own land. For example, in China, people cannot privately own the land itself. Instead, individuals can get rights to use the land for a set number of years. They pay a fee for these rights. These land use rights can be given as a gift or sold to others. People in China can own houses, buildings, or apartments. But they do not own the land those buildings sit on.

Names for Immovable Property

In the United States, immovable property is often called "real estate." In the United Kingdom, it is usually just called "property." No matter the name, the main idea is the same: it's land and anything permanently attached to it.