Under the statute of frauds, which type of real estate contract must be in writing to be enforceable?

• A. Oral Contracts
• B. Implied Contracts
• C. Written Contracts
• D. Unilateral Contracts

Answer: (C)

Real estate deals must satisfy the statute of frauds, which requires certain agreements to be in writing to be enforceable. Because these transactions involve significant sums and precise terms, a written contract provides a clear record of what was agreed—things like price, property description, parties, and signatures. That written form is what makes the contract enforceable. Oral real estate agreements are generally not enforceable under this rule, since there’s no reliable written record. Implied contracts come from conduct rather than a formal agreement, and unilateral contracts depend on an action or performance, but neither alone cures the lack of writing required for real estate. So the contract type that must be in writing to be enforceable is the written contract.