Definition of "Adjoining"

Gena Taylor real estate agent

Written by

Gena Taylorelite badge icon

Coldwell Banker FI Grey & Son Residential Inc.

Regarding the definition of the term adjoining, we see a term used most often to describe a particular position that objects, items, or properties have regarding each other. In the case of the term adjoining, that position is one of direct contact, attached, or contiguous. Strictly regarding the ordinary meaning of the word, adjoining describes closer proximity than adjacent as it requires a “joining” of objects, items, or properties. 

Adjoining in real estate

The term adjoining is also important in real estate lingo as it describes two buildings with a connecting boundary, a wall that they both share, a fence that connects the properties, and such. The term, however, is often used together with adjacent accompanied by a wide variety of environmental planning instruments as well as in development control plans. Something important to note is that when used together, they possibly refer to different concepts that determine the proximity of properties, buildings, and lots.

The term real estate adjoining can be used to describe abutting properties or adjoining properties as, in both instances, the two properties do not have any land or structure in between them. These properties can share a wall of the house, a fence in the backyard, or a line of trees that limits one property from the other. In any other way, the two properties are joined at one point or one line with nothing else separating them. Examples would be duplexes and townhouses. The concept is debated when issues of cadastral mapping come into question for buyers that are interested in lots that are devoid of any structures in order to have exact measurements of where one lot ends and the other begins.


Adjoining owners are the legal owners of adjoining properties that share a common structure at their border. Other terms that can be used instead of adjoining in real estate are abutting, neighboring, connected, or attached. Adjacent is close but not quite as directly connected as adjoining is and should not be used as a synonym.

image of a real estate dictionary page

Have a question or comment?

We're here to help.

*** Your email address will remain confidential.
 

 

Popular Real Estate Terms

Holding pool of mortgages. It is marketed as a tax exempt mortgage backed security for investors. ...

Condemnation is a process by which private property is taken for the purpose of public use. Prior to the taking, the property is said to be “condemned property”, meaning that it has ...

Style of architecture introduced into America prior to the Civil War and modeled after Renaissance Country homes in northern Italy. They were usually relatively large brick houses. Italian ...

Building a structure in such a way as to reduce the process of destruction in the event of fire. Fire-resistant materials are used. ...

The American Real Estate and Urban Economics Association (AREUEA) is a non-profit association founded in 1964, during the Allied Social Science Association located in Chicago. Important to ...

Section of the Internal Revenue Code applies to assets used in a trade or business,. In general, gains on section 1231 assets are taxed at capital gains rates, and losses are considered ...

A mortgage loan where the bank provides the mortgagor the required funds to purchase property the bank has obtained through foreclosure on outstanding mortgages. For example, John obtains a ...

The term “property title” is relatively common and often used in the real estate industry, which is why it’s useful to know what it really means. While the term itself is ...

List of architectural design items needing to be corrected and resolved prior to finalizing a building design. ...

Popular Real Estate Questions