Real property

Real property means land and the things permanently attached to it, such as a building. It is the opposite of personal property, which is movable and owned separately from any land.

The distinction is central to manufactured housing. A manufactured home often begins as personal property with its own certificate of title. If the home is permanently affixed to land the owner also owns and the owner completes title retirement, the home can become part of the real property — conveyed by deed, transferred with the land, and financed through a mortgage rather than a separate lien.

Whether a home is real or personal property affects how it is taxed, how it is sold, what kind of loan is available, and which government office handles its records. A home sitting on a rented lot generally stays personal property, because the resident does not own the land beneath it.

This is general information, not legal advice.