What Is An Encumbrance In Real Estate?

what is an encumbrance in real estate

Have you heard the term encumbrance somewhere? Do you know what an encumbrance in real estate is? Or the role it plays in buying and selling real estate? 

In any real estate transaction, you must deal with the encumbrance; it can be more than one. What is an encumbrance in real estate? 

An encumbrance is a legal, financial, and personal responsibility that hampers property transfer.  

Real estate agents must be familiar with various types of encumbrances and their effect on the sale or while transferring a home, land, and other kinds of property.  

Ordinary people must also read this article, as knowledge is power.

What Is an Encumbrance? The Concept 

What Do You Mean By Encumbrance

A party not the owner of a property pays for a charge known as encumbrance. An encumbrance can harm the property’s transferability as well as the limits. It cut short the unrestricted use of the property. 

Properties that cannot be moved are the common forms of encumbrance, including property tax liens, easements, and mortgages. 

Financial burdens are not the only ones; there are non-financial burdens, too, like easements. An encumbrance can also occur on personal property as opposed to the real one. I 

One can use encumbrance to point out the restricted funds in an account reserved for a specific liability in accounting.  

In Details: Understanding What Is an Encumbrance in Real Estate 

Understanding What Is An Encumbrance In Real Estate

The word encumbrance is more than a variety of title-holder’s financial and non-financial claims on the property. For landowners, it becomes upsetting to see somebody else have complete control over the land; in those cases, a creditor repossesses the land, or the government seizes it.  

A lien or an easement makes the title unmarketable; therefore, encumbrance affects the security’s marketability.  

This fact doesn’t mean that one cannot sell or buy a title. Encumbrance can claim damages in jurisdictions by withdrawing the purchaser from the agreement despite a signed official settlement. 

Now, we will be looking into the types of encumbrances of it in real estate. 

Types Of Encumbrance

Types Of Encumbrance

Now that we have understood it, we must also explore the types of encumbrances.  

By reading about the types of encumbrances, you will learn how they work to organize real estate sales or transfer process.  

1. Mortgage Encumbrance 

The common encumbrance for most owners is either a mortgage or a deed of trust. In a mortgage, there is an agreement between the borrower and the lender, and in a deed of trust, there is an agreement as well. But this time, it’s between three figures: the borrower, the lender, and the trustee.  

Regardless, you must satisfy the encumbrance if you want to sell or transfer the property from one location to another. 

In most cases, after pleasing, the encumbrance turns into a reconveyance deed. This means that the new owner provides the title and details of the previous owner.   

In case of bankruptcy, the table can drastically turn on the title if the following owner isn’t willing to pay to release it. 

2. Liens Encumbrance (Voluntary) 

Voluntary liens are debts that are out of harm’s way, and the property owners agree with this. For example, a home equity line is offering emergency cash funds for the repair of homes and funds for debt consolidation.  

Suppose the borrower is not interested in using the line of credit or already has paid; a voluntary lien must be laid down to allow the property to change hands.  

3. Liens Encumbrance (Involuntary) 

Involuntary Lien is placed on the property when the landowners does not consent. There are many types of involuntary liens. 

Tax lien- This Lien is placed on land to satisfy the government debt, including property tax or income tax.  

Mechanic’s Lien: This Lien is placed on the land to satisfy the contractor or subcontractor debt, who worked on the land with materials to repair.  

Lis Pendens – the words mean “pending legal action.” It is used when the property gets involved in legal questions of ownership or contractual variance.  

4. Easement Encumbrance  

Is easement an encumbrance? I am not sure myself but let me explain. An easement allows utility companies to get to the lines or permits a neighbor to go to the street from a landlocked property.  

Easements basically restrict you from particular uses, and the action affects the property rights of the owner.  

5. Encroachment Encumbrance 

There may be a fence onto the neighboring property that cuts across the portion of private land. These encroachments are considered. One must note these encroachments during inspections and surveys.  

If necessary, then one should put easements in place to make sure that the encroachments do not affect the ownership or insurability of the property.  

6. Restrictive Covenant Encumbrance  

This encumbrance comes into play when there is historical or architectural importance with street rules with reference to home styles and land appearance.  

It is essential for the buyer to talk about the restrictions that come with the property. It is also critical for the seller to think about the rules that can limit their capability to market and sell properties 

The supervising entity must confirm whether the property is in compliance due to the diligence process to make sure that the buyer does not turn into trustworthy repairs, corrections, or penalties.

Summing It Up Before Leaving!

It is a big part of the real estate sector. One should be aware of everything it holds within.  

We all wish to buy a house for ourselves, but if we are not adequately familiar with this term, it can lead us to trickery.  

The article has covered what an encumbrance in real estate is to make people understand it in a simple way. 

Leave a comment down below in the comment section. You can also follow us to stay updated about more blogs and articles about real estate and lifestyle.  

Read More:

Abdul Aziz Mondol is a professional blogger who is having a colossal interest in writing blogs and other jones of calligraphies. In terms of his professional commitments, he loves to share content related to business, finance, technology, and the gaming niche.

Leave A Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.