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

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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.

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RT @MIrealestate: Real Estate Blogs: Move Beyond Listings, or You’re Dead http://regator.com/?u=3q1331 (good read)
AndreaRealtor (Andrea Geller) Sat, 19 Dec 2009 14:51:06 -0000
RT @MIrealestate: Real Estate Blogs: Move Beyond Listings, or You’re Dead http://regator.com/?u=3q1331 (good read)
@MIrealestate Get Ready for Surprise: Technology Can Be a Double-Edged Sword http://bit.ly/7bVH4H Excellent Read for real estate website
DavidPylyp (David Pylyp) Sat, 19 Dec 2009 14:50:56 -0000
@MIrealestate Get Ready for Surprise: Technology Can Be a Double-Edged Sword http://bit.ly/7bVH4H Excellent Read for real estate website
A wide variety of real estate auction opportunities awaits prudent investors at http://www.rowellauctions.com
rowellauctions (Rowell Auctions) Sat, 19 Dec 2009 14:50:18 -0000
A wide variety of real estate auction opportunities awaits prudent investors at http://www.rowellauctions.com
Chennai Real Estate - Residential Land at Korattur: 14400 Sqft, Land for Sale in Kolathur near DRJ Hospital,200 Fee.. http://bit.ly/4B0iYp
adschennai (Sulekha Classifieds ) Sat, 19 Dec 2009 14:50:08 -0000
Chennai Real Estate - Residential Land at Korattur: 14400 Sqft, Land for Sale in Kolathur near DRJ Hospital,200 Fee.. http://bit.ly/4B0iYp
RT @matthaze: 2 many real estate "social media experts" out there. Give me a break. If u don't know how 2 b yourself, a class won't fix u
Real_TechGuy (JR Rivera) Sat, 19 Dec 2009 14:50:05 -0000
RT @matthaze: 2 many real estate "social media experts" out there. Give me a break. If u don't know how 2 b yourself, a class won't fix u
Selling Homes With the Power of the Internet: Sadly, the economy and real estate market is currently in bad sha.. http://bit.ly/7s4h9N
kkh_realestate (Real Estate Articles) Sat, 19 Dec 2009 14:49:58 -0000
Selling Homes With the Power of the Internet: Sadly, the economy and real estate market is currently in bad sha.. http://bit.ly/7s4h9N

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