Land is considered a different form of property for two reasons:
- it does not have a limited lifespan like most other types of property, and
- each piece of land (real property) is unique.
An owner has very strong rights in the property. Others, however, can also hold rights simultaneously. These rights could:
- give others access to use the property,
- prevent you from using the property as you would like, and
- even allow the property to be sold at a sheriff sale.
A diligent review of the records, also known as a title search, will discover any rights others may have. This is a crucial part of the process for issuing a title insurance policy.