Which term describes an item of personal property permanently attached to real property such that it becomes part of the real property?

• A. Air rights
• B. Riparian rights
• C. Fixture
• D. Mineral rights

Answer: (C)

An item becomes part of real property when it is permanently attached and intended to stay with the property. This is a fixture. The idea hinges on permanence: if something is fixed in place, integrated into the structure or its use, and installed with the intention of remaining, it is treated as real property and typically passes with the property when it’s sold. Practical tests look at how it’s attached, whether it’s customized for the space, and the original owner’s intent to keep it as part of the property. For example, built-in appliances, light fixtures, and cabinets installed into walls are fixtures—they’re considered real property because removing them would damage the structure or disrupt its use.

The other terms describe rights rather than attached items. Air rights concern the space above the property, riparian rights relate to access to and use of a adjacent water bodies, and mineral rights cover subsurface resources. These are rights associated with property ownership, not items that become part of the property through permanent attachment.