Which statement best describes fixtures in real estate?

• A. Fixtures are always personal property
• B. Fixtures can only be trees
• C. Fixtures are movable furniture
• D. Fixtures are real property attached to the land and intended to stay

Answer: (D)

In real estate, a fixture is something that started as personal property but becomes part of the real property because it’s attached and the owner intends it to stay with the property. The best statement captures both of those ideas: it’s real property because it’s attached to the land or building, and it’s there because the parties intend it to remain. That combination—physical attachment plus the intent to stay—determines whether an item is a fixture and transfers with the property when it’s sold.

Think about what happens at closing: items that are fixtures typically pass with title unless the contract says otherwise, which is why understanding intent and attachment matters for listing, offers, and escrow. The other options don’t fit because fixtures aren’t always personal property, they aren’t limited to trees, and they aren’t movable furniture. Trees, for example, are usually considered real property if they are growing with the land, and movable furniture is clearly personal property. The key takeaway is that fixtures are real property because they’re attached and the intention is for them to stay.