Three interests in land:
Present POSSESSORY estates:
Freehold and Landlord-Tenant (Non-Freehold)
Estates with future rights in possession:
Future interests
Fee Simple Absolute must be fully
Alienable. No DIRECT restraints on transfer of ownership.
Any attempt at direct restraint on alienation is:
Void. Which means you ignore the restriction.
Difference b/t language of ‘conditions’ from language on restrictions of transferability:
Conditions may be imposed on a FSA,
but any attempt to limit the RIGHT OF TRANSFER is void.
EXCEPTION to restriction on transferability in FSA:
Right of first refusal.
Cts presume a FSA was granted unless:
language shows a CLEAR INTENT to do otherwise.
Life Estate Pur Autre Vie: If life tenant dies b/f the measuring life then:
PAV Life estate passes to the estate of the PAV life tenant and continues until the measuring life dies.
Three types of waste:
Voluntary Waste:
any AFFIRMATIVE action
beyond the right of MAINTENANCE
that causes HARM to the premises
(Maintenance: Normal use of the land)
General Rule of WASTE: Life Tenant _______ the estate.
MAINTAINS
Life tenant is responsible for paying:
The INTEREST on the mortgage, not any of the principal.
Property Tax.
Life tenants and property tax:
LT must pay all taxes on the property - if they fail to do so then life estate is forfeited.
Three things to do to avoid liability for permissive waste:
Life tenant and repairs:
LT has obligation to make ORDINARY repairs but NOT replacements.
Ameliorative Waste
Occurs when LT alters the property substantially thereby INCREASING the value of the land.
General Rule for Ameliorative Waste:
If CHANGED CONDITIONS make the property RELATIVELY WORTHLESS, then the LT can alter the property w/o incurring liability to the holder of the future interest.
Seisen
Holder of seisen is the TAXPAYER
General Rule: Future Interests:
the INTEREST exists now but POSSESSION will not take place (if at all) until some time in the future.
Future interests retained by the GRANTOR (3)
Future interests given to the GRANTEE (2)
2. Executory interest
General Rule: REVERSION
A reversion in the GRANTOR arises whenever the grantor conveys away LESS THAN the FULL durational estate that the grantor had.
Hypo: O –> A(forlife) –> B(forlife). What interests?
A: Life Estate
B: Life Estate pur autre vie (for the duration of A’s life)
O: Reversion.
If B dies then A will receive a reversion for life.