Real estate or immovable property is a legal term (in some jurisdictions) that encompasses land along with anything permanently affixed to the land, such as buildings. Real estate (immovable property) is often considered synonymous with real property (also sometimes called realty), in contrast with personal property (also sometimes called chattel or personalty). However, for technical purposes, some people prefer to distinguish real estate, referring to the land and fixtures themselves, from real property, referring to ownership rights over real estate.

The terms real estate and real property are used primarily in common law, while civil law jurisdictions refer instead to immovable property.

In law, the word real means relating to a thing (from Latin res/rei, thing), as distinguished from a person. Thus the law broadly distinguishes between [real property] (land and anything affixed to it) and [personal property] (everything else, e.g., clothing, furniture, money). The conceptual difference was between immovable property, which would transfer title along with the land, and movable property, which a person would retain title to. (The word is not derived from the notion of land having historically been “royal” property. The word royal — and its Castilian cognate real — come from the related Latin word rex-regis, meaning king.

A house is a structure used for habitation by people that generally has walls and a roof to shelter its enclosed space from precipitation, wind, heat, and cold. Animals including both domestic pets and “unwanted” animals (such as mice) often live in houses. The word “house” may also refer to a building that shelters animals, especially within a zoo.

Families, as well as other social groups, generally live permanently in houses. English-speaking people generally call any building they routinely occupy “home”. Many people leave their house during the day for work and recreation but typically return to it to sleep or for other activities.

The term commercial property includes business property (e.g. office buildings), industrial property, medical centers, hotels, malls, retail stores. In many states residential property containing more than a certain number of units qualifies as commercial property for borrowing and tax purposes. Commercial property is intended to be operated at a profit, either from capital gain or rental income.

A government bond is a bond issued by a national government denominated in the country’s own currency. Bonds issued by national governments in foreign currencies are normally referred to as sovereign bonds.

A Corporate bond is a bond issued by a corporation, as the name suggests. The term is usually applied to longer term debt instruments, generally with a maturity date falling at least 12 months after their issue date (the term “commercial paper” being sometimes used for instruments with a shorter maturity).

Sometimes, the term “corporate bonds” is used to include all bonds except those issued by governments in their own currencies, although, strictly speaking, it only applies to those issued by corporations (those which are subsumed by neither category include the bonds of local authorities and supranational organizations).

Real estate trends is a generic term used to describe any consistent pattern or change in the general direction of the real estate industry which, over the course of time, causes a statistically noticeable change. This can be as a result of the economy, a change in mortgage rates, or other business reasons.

A real estate trend is the fundamental strategic reason that causes the change, and it is usually a concept, a belief, a philosophy, or an event (and not merely the result of a new product or service). Sometimes a real estate trend evolves to meet a specific need, while others evolve when new products or solutions are launched; at other times, a trend from another industry spills over into the real estate industry and is adopted.

Real property is a legal term encompassing real estate and ownership interests in real estate (immovable property). It is a type of property differentiated from personal property.

A mortgage is a method of using property (real or personal) as security for the payment of a debt.

The term mortgage (from Law French, lit. death vow) refers to the legal device used in securing the property, but it is also commonly used to refer to the debt secured by the mortgage, the mortgage loan.

In most jurisdictions mortgages are strongly associated with loans secured on real estate rather than other property (such as ships) and in some cases only land may be mortgaged. Arranging a mortgage is seen as the standard method by which individuals and businesses can purchase residential and commercial real estate without the need to pay the full value immediately. See mortgage loan for residential mortgage lending, and commercial mortgage for lending against commercial property.

A mechanics’ lien is a security interest in the title to property for the benefit of those who have supplied labor or materials that improve the property. The lien exists for both real property and personal property. In the realm of real property, it is called by various names, including, generically, construction lien. It is also called a materialman’s lien or supplier’s lien when referring to those supplying materials and a laborer’s lien when referring to those supplying labor. In the realm of personal property, it is also called an artisan’s lien. The term “lien” comes from a French root (via William the Conqueror), with a meaning similar to link; it is related to “liaison.” Mechanics liens on property in the United States date from the 1700s.