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 Nebraska, real property, also known as real estate, encompasses land and any structures or fixtures permanently attached to it, such as buildings and fences. This includes all rights associated with ownership, like the right to possess, sell, lease, and enjoy the property. Nebraska law recognizes the vertical extent of land ownership, meaning property owners have rights to the subsurface minerals and the airspace above their land, subject to certain restrictions like zoning laws and air traffic regulations. Real property can be categorized based on its use, such as residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural, or special purpose. This classification can affect zoning, taxation, and regulatory matters. Real property is distinct from personal property, which refers to movable items not permanently affixed to land. The legal framework governing real property in Nebraska includes state statutes, local ordinances, and federal laws where applicable, such as environmental regulations.