Joint tenancy is when individuals own equal shares in a property. Often, spouses hold property as joint tenants. All joint tenants must agree to a sale, to protect each other from having their property sold without their knowledge. If a joint tenant dies, the other joint tenant inherits their share in the property.

A similar form of tenancy is called tenancy in the entirety, which gives each spouse an undivided half of the property. There is also tenancy in common, which allows unmarried partners or commercial partners to own unequal shares in a property. All of these types of ownership can become complicated, and the advice of a competent real estate attorney is essential to a real estate buyer.