Real estate, or immovable property, is a legal term (in some jurisdictions) that encompasses land along with anything permanently affixed to the land, such as buildings. Real estate (immovable property) is often considered synonymous with real property (also sometimes called realty), in contrast with personal property (also sometimes called chattel or personalty). However, for technical purposes, some people prefer to distinguish real estate, referring to the land and fixtures themselves, from real property, referring to ownership rights over real estate.

The terms real estate and real property are used primarily in common law, while civil law jurisdictions refer instead to immovable property. Property law, the area of the common law that governs real property, differs from contract law in that it focuses primarily on rights that one person holds over all other people, as opposed to specific individuals.

Background

---

In recent years, many economists have recognized that the lack of effective real estate laws can be a significant barrier to investment in many developing countries. In most societies, rich or poor, a significant fraction of the total wealth is in the form of land and buildings. In most advanced economies, the main source of capital used by individuals and small companies to purchase and improve land and buildings is mortgages -- bank loans for which the real property itself constitutes collateral. Banks are willing to make such loans at favorable rates in large part because if the borrower does not make payments the lender can foreclose, that is, file a court action that lets them take the property and sell it to get their money back. However, in many developing countries, there is no effective means by which a lender could foreclose, so the mortgage loan industry as such either does not exist at all or is only available to members of privileged social classes.

More on [ Real estate ]

BBC News | Europe | World Edition

Search for clues in Madrid crash
Thu, 21 Aug 2008 04:41:39 -0000
Accident investigators are to scour the wreckage of the plane that crashed at Madrid's Barajas airport, leaving 153 dead.
Russia condemns US missile deal
Wed, 20 Aug 2008 19:52:28 -0000
Russia says a US-Polish missile defence deal creates a new arms race, warning it will react beyond "diplomatic demarches".
Russia tables own UN Georgia text
Wed, 20 Aug 2008 23:04:45 -0000
Russia introduces its own draft UN Security Council resolution on Georgia, a day after rejecting a rival French document.

NYT > Europe

More Than 150 Die in Madrid Plane Crash
Thu, 21 Aug 2008 03:31:46 -0000
More than 150 people were killed when an airliner en route to the Canary Islands swerved off the end of a runway during takeoff, officials said.
Georgian Crisis Brings Attitude Change to a Flush Poland
Thu, 21 Aug 2008 05:51:58 -0000
The events in the Caucasus, and threats of attack after a deal was signed to place an American missile defense base in Poland, have cast a pall of doubt over the country.
Diplomatic Memo: West Baffled by 2 Heads for Russian Government
Thu, 21 Aug 2008 05:54:41 -0000
American officials concede that they do not completely understand the balance of power within the new Russian leadership.

L.A. Times - Europe

Russia to keep soldiers in Georgia
Thu, 21 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0700
Moscow plans to set up 18 checkpoints, some in Georgia proper, a Kremlin official says. The plan appears to violate the terms of a cease-fire. Russia plans to establish a long-term presence in Georgia and one of its breakaway republics by adding 18 checkpoints, including at least eight within undisputed Georgian territory outside the pro-Russian enclave of South Ossetia, a ranking Russian military official told reporters Wednesday.
NATO calls Russia's use of force in Georgia 'disproportionate'
Wed, 20 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0700
Diplomatic moves to isolate Moscow come as Russian troops continue to show little sign of abiding by an agreement to withdraw from Georgia. The Western military alliance Tuesday began curtailing ties with Russia for its "disproportionate" use of force in Georgia, but the foreign ministers at an emergency gathering of North Atlantic Treaty Organization countries stopped short of agreeing to rearm the beleaguered state or to take other such tough measures.
Georgia President Mikheil Saakashvili seems to take over TV news
Wed, 20 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0700
It's been hard to miss the besieged leader on U.S. news shows, railing about Russia's invasion of his country. He is the leader of a small country that was, until recently, not on the radar of most Americans. But it's been hard to turn on a news channel this month without encountering the angry, brooding glare of Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, railing against the Russian troops pouring across his country's borders, doing his best to turn a military disaster into a media victory.

UN News Centre - Europe

International Criminal Court monitoring events in Georgia, Prosecutor says
Wed, 20 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0500
The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court confirmed today that his Office is analysing information related to alleged crimes committed in Georgia in recent weeks that fall under the Court's jurisdiction.
UN agencies continue to rush aid to Georgia
Wed, 20 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0500
The United Nations is continuing to send much-needed assistance to the Georgian city of Gori, most of whose population has fled since the start of the conflict in the Caucasus nation.
UN refugee chief begins mission to Georgia
Tue, 19 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0500
The top United Nations refugee official arrived today in the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, to assess humanitarian operations and meet some of the people displaced by last week's fighting - now estimated to be around 158,700.

Europe - International Herald Tribune

More than 150 die in Madrid plane crash
By CAROLINE BROTHERS Thu, 21 Aug 2008 04:28:28 -0000
An airliner en route to the Canary Islands swerved off the end of a runway during takeoff, officials said.
With Russia rising, Poland looks west
By NICHOLAS KULISH Thu, 21 Aug 2008 04:28:28 -0000
The events in the Caucasus, and threats of a nuclear attack after Poland signed a missile defense agreement with the U.S., have cast a pall of doubt over the country.
Bush calls Georgia 'under siege'
By Charlie Savage Thu, 21 Aug 2008 00:17:28 -0000
President George W. Bush connected the conflict in the Caucuses with the battle against terrorists and U.S. efforts to aid the rise of free societies.
Rice signs missile deal with Poland
By Nicholas Kulish and Tom Rachman Thu, 21 Aug 2008 00:20:01 -0000
The agreement to place an American missile defense base on Polish territory is fiercely opposed by Russia.
Despite yielding ground, Russia takes critical spots
By ANDREW E. KRAMER Thu, 21 Aug 2008 04:28:28 -0000
Russian troops showed no signs of relaxing their grip on critical Georgian areas despite Russian president Dmitri Medvedev's pledge for a withdrawl of forces.
West baffled by 2 heads for Russian government
By Steven Lee Myers and Thom Shanker Thu, 21 Aug 2008 04:24:32 -0000
American officials concede that they do not completely understand the balance of power within the new Russian leadership.

Subscribe to Europe RSS feed