All Things Real Estate: Owning property not a universal right (2024)

I’ve been thinking about this past Memorial Day weekend and how all of us are free to purchase whatever we want and to do so in a manner and environment that allows us to decide independently how, when, and where we can do it. I believe to some degree we take for granted and forget how easy life is to excel, prosper and do and be whatever we want to be without any interference.

Buying real estate is one thing that comes to mind since in some other countries one has no right to possess their own home or investment property. China, Laos and Vietnam are Communist countries that do not allow personal ownership of property. I am quite sure those in the inside of government and those who have connections might have a way to circumvent the strict policies. Foreigners, too, are restricted from ownership in Vietnam, Mexico, Greece, and Thailand, but again it’s not what you know but who you know that allows those that are connected to sidestep the normal rules and layers of restrictions.

Communist countries, unfortunately, control property and don’t allow their citizens ownership (except Cuba, which changed its constitution in 2019 to allow one to own their own home and investment property while also assuring the central government’s authority over the regulation of production and land). However, foreigners cannot own property directly but use third parties indirectly to obtain ownership.

In Communist countries, the competitive spirit is squashed and the government controls almost everything that is consumed. However, Russians can use their wages to purchase their home and goods as needed. But whether it is a foreigner or citizen, one cannot own the land beneath the property which is controlled by the government. The value is more or less controlled by the state. It is much more difficult and takes more time to save to be able to be in a position to purchase due to the value of the Ruble. The exchange rate of one dollar equals 73.32 Rubles as the currency is far less valuable.

Romania has the world’s highest homeownership of 96 percent, followed by Singapore with 90.8 percent and Slovakia with 90.3 percent.

We as Americans have truly no restrictions on purchasing our own homes or investment properties as long as we have the ways and means to accumulate the necessary funds to close the transactions. We take for granted how free we are to amass our own individual wealth by ownership when some other countries do not provide that right to their citizens. The concept of appreciation and getting rich is extremely limited to those who are connected to the insider group.

Can you imagine what your life would look like if you couldn’t own your own home or an investment property? How would you accumulate long-term wealth? It would most likely have to be in ways that would be illegal in countries that restrict ownership of property. The Black Market proliferates where severe policy restrictions occur.

What would the United States look like if we had those restrictive policies in place? I am quite sure many would move out of the country. Our economy would seriously falter over time and would not be the once “free to earn and invest” in an unrestrictive environment that it once was. I believe that is why so many have come here and still yearn for the “American Dream” in being able to immigrate to the United States, which has now been more restricted in gaining U.S. citizenship.

A few questions come to mind if and when tax laws are altered and changed in the U.S. Over the next few years what effect will it have on our real estate? Will the benefits and values that currently exist be radically changed? Will owning one’s home and/or investment property be worth the time and effort? Are we at the crossroads of change that will adversely affect our economy and country?

My professional opinion is that those in charge must be made very carefully as to what changes are being considered and whether or not we lose or win the battle of fairness and equity. The distribution of wealth to those who truly deserve it because of their entrepreneurial, physically earned “sweat equity” efforts and those who do not deserve sharing should be a major factor to be considered. The future could be quite beneficial for a greater number of people or quite bleak if decisions are made to benefit only a small minority.

Philip A. Raices is the owner/Broker of Turn Key Real Estate at 3 Grace Ave Suite 180 in Great Neck. He has 39 years of experience in the Real Estate industry and has earned designations as a Graduate of the Realtor Institute (G.R.I.) and also as a Certified International Property Specialist (C.I.P.S). For a “FREE” 15 minute consultation, a value analysis of your home, or to answer any of your questions or concerns he can be reached by cell: (516) 647-4289 or by email: [emailprotected]

All Things Real Estate: Owning property not a universal right (2024)

FAQs

What are the 4 property rights? ›

Right to possession. Right to control. Right to use and quiet enjoyment. Right to allow others a right to use (licenses and leases)

Is owning property a basic human right? ›

Everyone has the right to own property alone as well as in association with others. No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his property.” So declares article 17 of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

What are the 3 property rights? ›

Thus, the three basic elements of private property are (1) exclusivity of rights to choose the use of a resource, (2) exclusivity of rights to the services of a resource, and (3) rights to exchange the resource at mutually agreeable terms.

How can property rights be violated? ›

When property is transferred without the consent of its owner and without compensation, whether by force or by fraud, from the one who possesses it to anyone who has not created it, I say that property rights have been violated, that plunder has been committed.

What does the Constitution say about owning property? ›

Governments shall not arbitrarily infringe on the basic right of the individual to acquire, possess and freely transfer real property, and shall protect private property rights as referred to in the 5th and 14th Amendments of the United States Constitution.

What are the limits of property rights? ›

Nonetheless, laws may limit property by regulating when and how a person can use her property. In general, owners are prohibited from using their resources in ways that harm or injure others. The Federal Government limits the use of property through its power to regulate interstate commerce.

What does Article 17 of the Human Rights mean? ›

Everyone has the right to own, use, dispose of and bequeath his or her lawfully acquired possessions. No one may be deprived of his or her possessions, except in the public interest and in the cases and under the conditions provided for by law, subject to fair compensation being paid in good time for their loss.

Is owning property a natural right? ›

The right to property, or the right to own property (cf. ownership) is often classified as a human right for natural persons regarding their possessions.

What is the right of owning? ›

Ownership is the legal right to use, possess, and give away a thing. Ownership can be tangible such as personal property and land, or it can be of intangible things such as intellectual property rights.

What is the exception to property rights? ›

In property law, the phrase exception in deed refers to a statement in a deed of real estate which reserves certain rights to the transferor (for example, easem*nts, mineral rights, or a life estate).

What are the two most important rights to property? ›

The two public powers most often at issue in the property rights context are the police power — the power of government mainly to secure rights — and the power of eminent domain — the power to take property for public use upon payment of just compensation, as set forth, by implication, in the Fifth Amendment's Takings ...

What happens when property rights are not clearly defined? ›

Externalities occur when property rights are not defined or are not effectively enforceable. “Negative externalities” exist when the costs of producing a good spill over onto (are borne by) people other than those who decide how much or whether to produce that good.

How does the 5th Amendment protect property? ›

First, it states that a person may not be deprived of property by the government without “due process of law,” or fair procedures. In addition, it sets limits on the traditional practice of eminent domain, such as when the government takes private property to build a public road.

What is an example of a limitation of property rights? ›

Federal and state anti-discrimination and fair housing laws also restrict the manner in which you can use your real estate. For example, it's illegal for a real estate agent to refuse to sell a lot to someone based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.

What is an example of a violation of intellectual property rights? ›

Violations of intellectual property include: Creating a logo or name meant to confuse buyers into thinking they're buying the original brand. Recording video or music without authorization or copying copyrighted materials (yes, even on a photocopier, for private use)

What does the 14th Amendment say about property? ›

No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

What is the 14th Amendment? ›

Passed by the Senate on June 8, 1866, and ratified two years later, on July 9, 1868, the Fourteenth Amendment granted citizenship to all persons "born or naturalized in the United States," including formerly enslaved people, and provided all citizens with “equal protection under the laws,” extending the provisions of ...

Does the 14th Amendment protect private property? ›

Among them was the Fourteenth Amendment, which prohibits the states from depriving “any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law.” When it was adopted, the Clause was understood to mean that the government could deprive a person of rights only according to law applied by a court.

Where are property rights strongest? ›

Finland is the top country by international property rights index in the world. As of 2022, international property rights index in Finland was 8.2 score. The top 5 countries also includes Singapore, Switzerland, New Zealand, and Luxembourg. The description is composed by our digital data assistant.

What is limitation in real estate? ›

A statute of limitations means that an individual has a time span for when to recover the damages of a bad real estate transaction.

What amendment is private property? ›

The Fifth Amendment to the Constitution provides that private property shall not be taken for public use without just compensation.

What does Article 21 of Human Rights mean? ›

Article 21

Everyone has the right to take part in the government of his country, directly or through freely chosen representatives. Everyone has the right of equal access to public service in his country.

What does Article 30 of Human Rights mean? ›

Article 30 has been called "limits on tyrants." It gives all of us freedom from State or personal interference in the rights in all the preceding Articles. However, it also stresses that we may not exercise these rights in contravention of the purposes of the United Nations.

What does Article 19 of Human Rights mean? ›

Because of the rights asserted in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), we all have the right to form our own opinions and to express and share them freely.

Why owning property is a human right? ›

The human right of every man to his own life implies the right to find and transform resources: to produce that which sustains and advances life. That product is a man's property. That is why property rights are foremost among human rights and why any loss of one endangers the others.

What makes a property private? ›

Private property refers to the ownership of property by private parties - essentially anyone or anything other than the government. Private property may consist of real estate, buildings, objects, intellectual property (copyright, patent, trademark, and trade secrets).

What is the property law in the United States? ›

Property law in the United States is the area of law that governs the various forms of ownership in real property (land and buildings) and personal property, including intangible property such as intellectual property. Property refers to legally protected claims to resources, such as land and personal property.

What is the rule of ownership? ›

The owner has the right to use the subject matter of ownership according to his own discretion. Here use means personal use and the enjoyment of the thing by the owner. This right of enjoyment or use is not absolute; it can be and is in fact, limited by law.

What is owner's right clause? ›

In life insurance, an ownership clause is the provision or endorsem*nt that designates the owner of the policy when such owner is someone other than an insured—for example, a beneficiary.

Which of the following is not one of the rights of real estate ownership? ›

The rights of ownership of real property includes the following EXCEPT: disposition, exclusivity, control, compatibility.

Are property rights always enforceable? ›

Property is secured by laws that are clearly defined and enforced by the state. These laws define ownership and any associated benefits that come with holding the property. The term property is very expansive, though the legal protection for certain kinds of property varies between jurisdictions.

Are property rights necessary? ›

Secure property rights allow landowners to travel from their land for employment, and to let their land work for them. Property rights formalization is, appropriately, often linked with economic prosperity.

What is the nature property right? ›

The two main theses of “The Natural Right of Property” are: (i) that persons possess an original, non-acquired right not to be precluded from making extra-personal material their own (or from exercising discretionary control over what they have made their own); and (ii) that this right can and does take the form of a ...

What are two rights everyone should have? ›

Every human being has the right to life, liberty and the security of his person. Right to life, liberty and personal security. Article II. All persons are equal before the law and have the rights and duties established in this Declaration, without distinction as to race, sex, language, creed or any other factor.

What are the two types of property in law? ›

There are two types of property. In legal terms, all property will be classified as either personal property or real property. This distinction between types of property comes from English common law, but our modern laws continue to distinguish between the two.

What is an example of right property? ›

Familiar examples of physical properties include density, color, hardness, melting and boiling points, and electrical conductivity. We can observe some physical properties, such as density and color, without changing the physical state of the matter observed.

What is the most important consequence of property rights? ›

The most important consequence of property rights is that they encourage people to cooperate by helping to ensure that only mutually agreeable economic transactions take place. They also encourage investment, innovation, exchange, maintenance of property, and economic growth.

What does protecting property rights mean? ›

The property rights component is an assessment of the ability of individuals to accumulate private property, secured by clear laws that are fully enforced by the state. It measures the degree to which a country's laws protect private property rights and the degree to which its government enforces those laws.

What are the three main characteristics of efficient property rights? ›

Three important cri- teria for efficiency of property rights are (1) universality—all scarce resources are owned by someone; (2) exclusivity—property rights are exclusive rights; and (3) transferability—to ensure that resources can be allocated from low to high yield uses.

What is an example of the 5th amendment being violated? ›

For instance, in Gardner v. Broderick (1968), the New York City Police Department was held to have violated the Fifth Amendment rights of a police officer when it fired him after he refused to waive the Privilege and testify before a grand jury that was investigating police corruption.

What is the 10th amendment? ›

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

What are the 27 constitutional rights? ›

Amendment Summary: 27 Updates to the U.S. Constitution
AmendmentRatifiedDescription
1st1791Rights to Religion, Speech, Press, Assembly, Petition
2nd1791Right to Bear Arms
3rd1791Quartering of Soldiers
4th1791Search and Seizure
23 more rows

What are words of limitation property? ›

WORDS OF LIMITATION: Words used in a legal document that describe how much or what kind of property someone gets. For example, if a document says "to A and her heirs," it means A gets everything and her heirs get nothing. These words are important because they show exactly what someone is getting.

What is a limitation of an individual right? ›

Limitations on rights are restrictions that are necessary to balance competing or conflicting rights, or to harmonize rights with other public objectives. They are not a response to emergency situations.

What are words of limitation in a deed? ›

Words of limitation are used to indicate the duration or terms of the conveyance of real property. They describe the property in land being transferred. They are the words in a deed or will that indicate what type of estate or rights the person being given land receives.

What is the most common violation of intellectual property? ›

The most common types of intellectual property disputes are likely to be related to either copyright infringement, trademark infringement, or patent infringement.

What is a common violation of intellectual property? ›

If a third party were to assume ownership, copy, or sell someone's previously copywritten work, that would legally be considered a case of copyright infringement. Copyright law can still be enforced if others try to create simple deviations from the original source material.

What are the basics of property rights? ›

The term “bundle of rights” describes the set of legal rights associated with ownership of real property. The “bundle” is made up of five different rights: the right of possession, the right of control, the right of exclusion, the right of enjoyment and the right of disposition.

What are examples of property rights? ›

We define property rights as a right to specific property, whether intangible or tangible. In many cases, property rights are clear. If you own a car and have a title to that car in your name, then the property rights to drive, sell, lend, lease, or scrap that car belong to you.

What are the different types of private property rights? ›

Private property may consist of real estate, buildings, objects, intellectual property (copyright, patent, trademark, and trade secrets).

What is an example of a private property right? ›

One of the most common examples of private property is the ownership of a home. The owner of a house typically has the right to live in it, sell it, or rent it out to others. Another example of private property is a car. Just as with a house, the owner of a car has the right to drive it, sell it, or lease it to others.

What are the two important right to property? ›

(1) Everyone has the right to own property alone as well as in association with others. (2) No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his or her property.

What are property rights protected by? ›

The Constitution protects property rights through the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments' Due Process Clauses and, more directly, through the Fifth Amendment's Takings Clause: “nor shall private property be taken for public use without just compensation.” There are two basic ways government can take property: (1) outright ...

What are public property rights? ›

Public property refers to property owned by the government (or its agency), rather than by a private individual or a company. It belongs to the public at large. Examples include many parks, streets, sidewalks, libraries, schools, playgrounds that are used regularly by the general public. Compare: private property.

What do private property rights allow? ›

Property rights give the owner or right holder the ability to do with the property what they choose. That includes holding on to it, selling or renting it out for profit, or transferring it to another party.

What is the difference between real property and personal property? ›

Real property includes land plus the buildings and fixtures permanently attached to it. Real property taxes are assessed on agricultural, commercial, industrial, residential and utility property. Personal property is property that is not permanently affixed to land: e.g., equipment, furniture, tools and computers.

What would be private restrictions on property rights? ›

Private restrictions (sometimes referred to as covenants or agreements) can include specific items that would impact construction, such as setbacks that are greater than the setbacks imposed by town zoning laws, restrictions on the size of buildings on the property, limits on the number of buildings on the lot, and ...

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