Real property or real estate is land and everything that is permanently attached or affixed to the land—buildings, fences, and those things attached to the buildings, such as light fixtures and plumbing and heating fixtures.

Real property includes the legal rights of ownership—such as the rights to possess, sell, use, lease, and enjoy the land. The terms real property and real estate are generally synonymous.

Land is generally defined as the earth’s surface, extending downward to the center of the earth and upward to infinity—including everything that is permanently attached by nature, such as trees and water. Land includes minerals below the earth’s surface and airspace above the land.

Real property is often classified and referenced according to its use as residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural, or special purpose property. Real property is generally contrasted with personal property, which includes all movable, tangible things that are not real property.

In South Carolina, real property, also known as real estate, encompasses land and any structures or fixtures permanently attached to it, such as buildings, fences, and built-in appliances. The legal rights associated with real property ownership include the ability to possess, sell, lease, use, and enjoy the property. The definition of land in South Carolina extends from the surface to the center of the earth and upward indefinitely, which means it includes natural attachments like trees and water, as well as subsurface minerals and the airspace above. Real property can be categorized based on its use into residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural, or special purpose. This classification can affect zoning, taxation, and regulatory matters. Real property is distinct from personal property, which is movable and not permanently affixed to land. South Carolina's real estate laws are codified in Title 27 of the South Carolina Code of Laws, which covers various aspects of property ownership, rights, and transactions.