Which of these would be considered a public restriction on real property ownership?

• A. escheat
• B. zoning
• C. deed restriction
• D. lien

Answer: (A)

Public restrictions on real property ownership come from government actions that limit how a property can be owned or transferred. Escheat is the direct one: when someone dies without heirs or without valid provisions, the property reverts to the state, transferring ownership from private hands to public ownership. That automatic transfer is a clear, indisputable restriction imposed by the government.

Zoning also comes from government authority, but it regulates use and development rather than transferring ownership. Deed restrictions are private agreements placed in a deed by a previous owner or developer, so they restrict future use but aren’t government-imposed. A lien encumbers the property to secure a debt and can affect transfer, but it’s an encumbrance rather than a government-imposed ownership restriction.