Legal Definitions - real things

In legal terms, "real things" refers to property that is fixed and permanently attached to land. It is another way of saying real property or realty. This type of property cannot be moved without causing significant damage to the property itself or the land it rests upon. It stands in contrast to personal property, which is movable.

Here are some examples to illustrate this concept:

• A Residential House and Lot:

  Imagine a family's home, complete with its foundation, walls, roof, and the plot of land it sits on, including any built-in features like a driveway, a permanently installed fence, or mature trees planted in the yard.

  Explanation: The house, the land, the driveway, and the fence are all "real things" because they are permanently affixed to the earth. You cannot simply pick up the house or the land and move them to a different location without destroying their fundamental nature and causing significant damage.

• A Commercial Office Building:

  Consider a multi-story office building in a city center, including its underground parking garage, the land it occupies, and any permanently installed fixtures like elevators, heating and cooling systems, or built-in cabinetry.

  Explanation: The entire structure of the office building, its foundation, the land beneath it, and the integrated systems are all classified as "real things." They are designed to be permanent and immovable, forming an integral part of the real estate.

• An Agricultural Farm with Permanent Structures:

  Think of a dairy farm that includes several acres of pasture land, a barn with a concrete foundation, a silo permanently affixed to the ground, and an irrigation system with underground pipes.

  Explanation: The land, the barn, the silo, and the buried irrigation pipes are all "real things." These elements are fixed to the land and are considered part of the real property. While the cows or farm equipment inside the barn would be personal property, the structures themselves are immovable.