Definition of "Joint tenancy"

A type of property coownership of two or more individuals to whom real property is deeded and who together have an undivided interest in it as a whole. There is only one title to the whole property. Upon the death of a joint tenant, that person's interest does not descend to his or her heirs or pass by will. Rather, the entire ownership remains in the surviving joint tenant(s). In other word, there is simply one less owner. A joint tenant can be in exclusive possession of the property or he or she can lease his or her interest to a third party without affecting the nature of the joint tenancy. Such lease will terminate upon the death of the lessor joint tenant, with the surviving joint tenants taking the interest thereon. generally, if a joint tenant dies, the survivors(s) obtain the property, also called joint tenancy with right of survivorship. For example, John and Victor are the joint tenants of a building. Each own one half of the whole building. Upon John's death, Victor will own the whole property, and vice versa.

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

Title to property being given under a court order because the original owner failed to pay the mortgage payments and/or real estate taxes. A judgment in a lawsuit may also have forced the ...

The definition of property acquisition cost in real estate is the total recorded cost of a piece of real estate after reductions in price, incentives, closing costs and any other ...

Contiguous shore area bordering a river that is subject to periodic water level increases. In the flood stage, the flood plain can be under water. ...

Indicators reflecting future changes in economic conditions; referred to as the Composite Index of 11 Leading Indicators. This index indicates the direction of the economy in the next six ...

In business, one may come across the cash accounting method, also known as cash-basis accounting, during the accounting period. The cash method of accounting is used where payments are ...

Federal act passed in 1974 regulating mobile homes. The act defines a mobile home as a "Structure, transportable in one or more sections, which is eight body feet or more in width and is ...

Rate of return of capital invested in building improvements. Is segregated from land investments and provides a method of separating property income streams between improvement and land ...

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

In real estate, asking price is referred to as the amount set by the seller, the amount he/she wants to receive for the purchase of their home by the buyer. The asking price isn’t ...

Popular Real Estate Questions