Property Ownership
In Washington, when a property owned in joint tenancy is sold by one joint tenant to a third party without the other joint tenant's consent, the joint tenancy is:
AMaintained if the sale was unauthorized
BSevered, converting the relationship to a tenancy in common✓ Correct
CVoided and the property reverts to both original owners
DMaintained only if both owners had equal shares
Explanation
When one joint tenant conveys their interest to a third party, the joint tenancy is severed (the four unities are broken), converting the ownership to a tenancy in common between the remaining joint tenant and the new buyer.
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Key Terms to Know
Joint Tenancy
Co-ownership where two or more people hold equal, undivided interests with the right of survivorship — when one owner dies, their share passes to the surviving owners.
Tenancy in CommonCo-ownership where two or more people hold undivided interests that need not be equal and pass to each owner's heirs — no right of survivorship.
DeedA written legal instrument used to transfer ownership of real property from one party (grantor) to another (grantee).
Chain of TitleThe sequential record of all transfers of ownership for a piece of property from the original patent holder to the present owner.
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