Tenancy by the entirety

Definition

Tenancy by the entirety in plain English

This is a special way for a married couple to own a home together where the law treats the two spouses as one single owner, not two half-owners. Because of that, neither one can secretly sell or borrow against their 'share' — there are no separate shares to grab — and if one spouse racks up a personal debt, that creditor usually can't force a sale of the home to get paid. It also has a 'right of survivorship,' meaning if one spouse dies, the other automatically owns the whole thing. Picture two people signing as a single team rather than as two individuals — that unity is what makes it stronger than ordinary joint ownership.

Learn these first

• Condominium
• Cooperative

Practice Tenancy by the entirety

Tenancy by the entirety is a specialized form of co-ownership that is available only to which group of people?

Related National Real Estate Exam terms

• Bundle of rights
• Condominium
• Cooperative
• Dominant tenement
• Emblements
• Encroachment
• Estate
• Fee simple absolute
• Fee simple defeasible
• Fixture