Restrictive covenants are defined as what?

• A. A government regulation on property
• B. A promise by a contract or deed between private persons and a subdivider, also known as subdivision restrictions
• C. A personal loan agreement
• D. A boundary easement

Answer: (B)

Restrictive covenants are private land-use restrictions created by a contract or deed with the subdivider, and they run with the land so that future owners are bound by them. These promises restrict how the property can be used or developed, such as architectural styles, setback rules, or limits on building types, and they’re typically recorded so successors inherit the obligations. This makes them a tool used in subdivisions to maintain a consistent look and feel and protect property values, enforceable by the parties who created them or by a homeowners association.

They aren’t government regulations like zoning or building codes, which come from public authorities. They aren’t personal loan agreements, which involve borrowing money. And they aren’t easements, which grant someone a right to use a portion of the land rather than restricting its use. Thus, a restrictive covenant best fits a private, deed- or contract-based promise that binds landowners in a subdivision.