Definition of "Alienation"

The definition of alienation in real estate stands for the legal action that is done voluntarily by an owner to dispose of their property. It also encompasses a property’s right to be sold or given to someone else. Most of the properties can be alienated but there are some that are under the influence of restraint of alienation.

The status or authority of a property to be alienated is specified in a contract in something that is called an alienation clause. Through an alienation clause, it can be stipulated whether or not a property can be sold or transferred to another owner. The alienation clause is the situation in which alienation as a concept is implemented through law. The term “alienation” has a long history but it is commonly used today in real estate contracts, mortgages, insurance policies, law, and wills.

The History of Alienation

In the old age of the feudal system in England, a system that was the beginning of modern-day alienation was known as subinfeudation. As the act of alienation today, subinfeudation required the license of the overlord, in other words, the blessing of the owner, for the property to be transferred and alienated to another.

And like nowadays, there are some items, objects or … let’s call them assets that can not be alienated. These assets are known as inalienable. Some examples of these are body parts, people, or aboriginal titles. Tickets or licenses also can not be given to someone else but they can be alienated in the sense that they are discarded, surrendered, or just disposed of.

Not to be confused with that 90’s movie/TV series “ Alien Nation”.

An alien is something foreign that does not belong to that place or person. So, in the real estate world, alienation is the voluntary and purposeful act of transferring an asset to a different party, making it no longer belonging to that person or place. Once an alienation is done, the titles of possession are transferred from one person to another.

Real Estate tips:

Don't let knowledge become a foreign concept to you! Search through our Glossary Terms and get up to speed with all these complex terms!

And once you're ready to play: find an agent and start putting that knowledge to work!

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

When an owner of real estate dies interstate, having no enforceable will, the property descends, by operation of law, to the owner's inheritors. ...

The Federal Reserve Bank's regulation applying to the amount of credit that may be advanced by brokers and dealers to customers to buy securities. ...

Situation in which a person guilty of breaking a contract is required by the judge to fulfill his duties. Specific performance is required only if the item or subject of the contract is ...

Average of income, retail revenue, and population of a locality as a percentage of the entire United States. It reflects the economic status of a particular region. ...

Usual operating service life of property for the purpose it was acquired. The useful life used for depreciation accounting does not necessarily coincide with the actual physical life or any ...

The meaning of commercial acre in the United States defines the remaining part of an acre of a newly divided land once curbs, streets, and boardwalks have been separated from the original ...

The metaverse definition can be described as a digital environment that is simulated through the use of augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and blockchain technology, combined ...

Legal dictate that must exist for property to be owned as joint tenants. ...

If you’re in the business of purchasing properties, maybe as a real estate investor, you might be wondering what is cost segregation. Well, first of all, it’s a study that deals ...

Popular Real Estate Questions