1
BARNEY FLETCHER REAL ESTATE EXAM FULL
PACKAGE STUDY GUIDE 2026-27 LATEST VERSION
The Barney Fletcher Real Estate Exam preparation material covers federal real estate
principles, general property law, and specific state regulations required to pass the licensing
exam. To pass this exam, you must master legal definitions, ownership types, agency
relationships, financing instruments, and state-specific license laws.
The comprehensive 100-question review below covers core real estate principles, contracts,
financing, valuation, property management, and licensing statutes.
Part 1: Real Property Characteristics and Legal Ownership
1. Which legal term describes the right of a real property owner to
all updates, additions, or natural increases that occur to their
land?
• A. Avulsion
• B. Reliction
• C. Accretion
• D. Erosion
• Explanation: Accretion is the gradual increase of land through
natural forces, such as soil deposited by a river. The actual land
added is called alluvion, while accretion is the process.
2. What is the fundamental difference between real property and
personal property?
• A. Real property consists only of structures, while personal
property is the raw land.
• B. Personal property is always tax-exempt, while real property is
heavily taxed.
,2
• C. Real property is immovable and includes the land and
everything attached to it, while personal property is movable.
• D. Real property is transferred using a bill of sale, while
personal property requires a deed.
• Explanation: Real property includes the earth's surface,
subsurface, airspace, and anything permanently attached to it.
Personal property, also called chattel, is movable and
transferred via a bill of sale.
3. Which type of multi-owner estate features the "right of
survivorship," meaning that when one owner dies, their shares
automatically pass to the surviving owners rather than their
heirs?
• A. Tenancy in common
• B. Joint tenancy
• C. Tenancy at sufferance
• D. Life tenancy
• Explanation: Joint tenancy requires four unities (time, title,
interest, and possession) and includes the right of survivorship.
Tenancy in common does not have survivorship rights, allowing
shares to be inherited.
4. What is a fixture in real estate law?
• A. An item of personal property that has been permanently
attached to the land or building so that it becomes part of the
real property.
• B. A temporary tool used by a contractor during home
remodeling.
,3
• C. An appliance that a tenant brings into a rental house and
takes when they leave.
• D. A piece of land that cannot be built upon due to
environmental rules.
• Explanation: A fixture starts as personal property but becomes
real property once it is permanently attached, determined
legally by the method of attachment, adaptation, relationship,
intent, and agreement (MARIA).
5. A business tenant installs trade fixtures like display cases and
commercial ovens in a rented retail space. Who owns these
items when the lease ends?
• A. The landlord receives them automatically as an addition to
the property.
• B. The tenant owns them and can remove them before the
lease expires, provided they repair any damage.
• C. The local city government seizes them for public auction.
• D. They must be split evenly between the landlord and tenant.
• Explanation: Trade fixtures are a special category of personal
property used for a business. Unlike residential fixtures, tenants
can remove trade fixtures before their lease expires.
6. Which type of land description uses a principal meridian, base
lines, townships, and sections?
• A. Metes and bounds system
• B. Lot and block system
• C. Government rectangular survey system
• D. Geodetic elevation system
, 4
• Explanation: The government rectangular survey system uses a
grid of principal meridians running north-south and base lines
running east-west to divide land into townships and sections.
7. How many square feet are contained within a single acre of
land?
• A. 36,000 square feet
• B. 43,560 square feet
• C. 52,800 square feet
• D. 64,000 square feet
• Explanation: One acre contains exactly 43,560 square feet.
Memorizing this number is essential for solving land calculation
questions on the real estate exam.
8. How many sections are contained within a standard township,
and how large is each section?
• A. 12 sections; each is 5 acres
• B. 24 sections; each is 160 acres
• C. 36 sections; each is 1 square mile (640 acres)
• D. 50 sections; each is 10 acres
• Explanation: A standard township contains 36 sections. Each
section is one square mile, which equals 640 acres.
9. Which type of easement gives a utility company the right to run
power lines across a homeowner's property?
• A. Easement appurtenant
• B. Easement in gross
• C. Easement by necessity
BARNEY FLETCHER REAL ESTATE EXAM FULL
PACKAGE STUDY GUIDE 2026-27 LATEST VERSION
The Barney Fletcher Real Estate Exam preparation material covers federal real estate
principles, general property law, and specific state regulations required to pass the licensing
exam. To pass this exam, you must master legal definitions, ownership types, agency
relationships, financing instruments, and state-specific license laws.
The comprehensive 100-question review below covers core real estate principles, contracts,
financing, valuation, property management, and licensing statutes.
Part 1: Real Property Characteristics and Legal Ownership
1. Which legal term describes the right of a real property owner to
all updates, additions, or natural increases that occur to their
land?
• A. Avulsion
• B. Reliction
• C. Accretion
• D. Erosion
• Explanation: Accretion is the gradual increase of land through
natural forces, such as soil deposited by a river. The actual land
added is called alluvion, while accretion is the process.
2. What is the fundamental difference between real property and
personal property?
• A. Real property consists only of structures, while personal
property is the raw land.
• B. Personal property is always tax-exempt, while real property is
heavily taxed.
,2
• C. Real property is immovable and includes the land and
everything attached to it, while personal property is movable.
• D. Real property is transferred using a bill of sale, while
personal property requires a deed.
• Explanation: Real property includes the earth's surface,
subsurface, airspace, and anything permanently attached to it.
Personal property, also called chattel, is movable and
transferred via a bill of sale.
3. Which type of multi-owner estate features the "right of
survivorship," meaning that when one owner dies, their shares
automatically pass to the surviving owners rather than their
heirs?
• A. Tenancy in common
• B. Joint tenancy
• C. Tenancy at sufferance
• D. Life tenancy
• Explanation: Joint tenancy requires four unities (time, title,
interest, and possession) and includes the right of survivorship.
Tenancy in common does not have survivorship rights, allowing
shares to be inherited.
4. What is a fixture in real estate law?
• A. An item of personal property that has been permanently
attached to the land or building so that it becomes part of the
real property.
• B. A temporary tool used by a contractor during home
remodeling.
,3
• C. An appliance that a tenant brings into a rental house and
takes when they leave.
• D. A piece of land that cannot be built upon due to
environmental rules.
• Explanation: A fixture starts as personal property but becomes
real property once it is permanently attached, determined
legally by the method of attachment, adaptation, relationship,
intent, and agreement (MARIA).
5. A business tenant installs trade fixtures like display cases and
commercial ovens in a rented retail space. Who owns these
items when the lease ends?
• A. The landlord receives them automatically as an addition to
the property.
• B. The tenant owns them and can remove them before the
lease expires, provided they repair any damage.
• C. The local city government seizes them for public auction.
• D. They must be split evenly between the landlord and tenant.
• Explanation: Trade fixtures are a special category of personal
property used for a business. Unlike residential fixtures, tenants
can remove trade fixtures before their lease expires.
6. Which type of land description uses a principal meridian, base
lines, townships, and sections?
• A. Metes and bounds system
• B. Lot and block system
• C. Government rectangular survey system
• D. Geodetic elevation system
, 4
• Explanation: The government rectangular survey system uses a
grid of principal meridians running north-south and base lines
running east-west to divide land into townships and sections.
7. How many square feet are contained within a single acre of
land?
• A. 36,000 square feet
• B. 43,560 square feet
• C. 52,800 square feet
• D. 64,000 square feet
• Explanation: One acre contains exactly 43,560 square feet.
Memorizing this number is essential for solving land calculation
questions on the real estate exam.
8. How many sections are contained within a standard township,
and how large is each section?
• A. 12 sections; each is 5 acres
• B. 24 sections; each is 160 acres
• C. 36 sections; each is 1 square mile (640 acres)
• D. 50 sections; each is 10 acres
• Explanation: A standard township contains 36 sections. Each
section is one square mile, which equals 640 acres.
9. Which type of easement gives a utility company the right to run
power lines across a homeowner's property?
• A. Easement appurtenant
• B. Easement in gross
• C. Easement by necessity
