CA REAL ESTATE SALESPERSON EXAM | COMPLETE
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS | LATEST
UPDATE (2026) | ALREADY GRADED A+
Land - CORRECT ANSWER -The physical property and any natural objects on it - like trees and
bodies of water, often referred to as a "lot', "site", or "parcel".
Real estate - CORRECT ANSWER -generally refers to land with permanent manmade
improvements.
Real property - CORRECT ANSWER -refers not only to the land and its improvements, but also
the bundle of rights, powers, and privileges ("bundle of rights") that are legally connected to
ownership of that land. Transferred by deed.
Tangible rights - CORRECT ANSWER -based on the physical aspects of a property, such as claims
to: land, buildings, garages, barn/sheds or other improvements, forests, farmland, vineyards,
trees, plant life, floral gardens (with some minor exceptions), fixtures (such as fences, plumbing,
etc.).
Intangible rights - CORRECT ANSWER -associated with areas above and below the land surface,
access and privileges such as: air rights, water rights, subsurface rights (mineral rights),
easements, licenses profits, leases, mortgages.
Personal property - CORRECT ANSWER -refers to property those tangible and moveable, such as
furniture and swing sets. Personal property does not include rights to the land and it is
transferred by "Bill of Sale." Personal property can become real property when it becomes a
permanent fixture of the land.
Fixtures - CORRECT ANSWER -are items that have been permanently attached to real property.
Can be pieces of personal property that have been "physically or constructively annexed" to a
,structure. Tests of a fixture: M-A-R-I-A - Method of attachment, adaptability, Relationship of the
parties, Intent, Agreement between the parties.
Land characteristics - CORRECT ANSWER -There are two main characteristics to describe land
and land function; physical characteristics and economic characteristics.
Physical land characteristcs - CORRECT ANSWER -Immobility - land cannot be moved in its
entirety; Indestructibility - Although land can be damaged by storms or disasters, ultimately, it
cannot be destroyed because it continues to change, adjust and develop over time. Non-
homogeneity - no two pieces of land are identical.
Economic characteristics of land - CORRECT ANSWER -Scarcity - In some areas, land is
considered a rarity, and ownership is even more unlikely. Permanence - Also known as "fixity,"
permanence refers to the lasting potential of land. Situs - Concept that some locations are more
and less valuable. Improvements - Structures and landscaping add value to land.
Metes and bounds - CORRECT ANSWER -A method of describing real property that uses
geography and land features with direction and distances to define and describe the boundaries
of the land.
Rectangular survey system - CORRECT ANSWER -Traditional method of surveying property and it
measures factors such as precise length of line run, natural materials (flora/fauna), and surface
and land soil.
Government or US public land system - CORRECT ANSWER -Most commonly used method to
survey and spatially identify land or property parcels before designating ownership, whether for
sale or transfer.
Townships - CORRECT ANSWER -A survey method that refers to a square unit of land that is six
miles on each side.
,Principal meridians - CORRECT ANSWER -Method that uses principal meridian line for survey
control in a large region, which divides townships between north/south/east/west.
Base line and meridian intersections - CORRECT ANSWER -In CA, there are three base line-
meridian intersections that are used for legal descriptions. Base lines run horizontally (east to
west) and meridians run vertically (north to south). The three base-line meridian intersections
used in CA are: Humboldt Base Line and Meridian (northern part of state), Mt. Diablo Base Line
and Meridian (central), San Bernardino Base Line and Meridian (southern).
Recorded plat - CORRECT ANSWER -Also known as the lot and block survey system, this system
is used for lots in a variety of areas.
Assessor's parcel number (APN) - CORRECT ANSWER -Also known as an appraisal's account
number, a number assigned to parcels of property by the area's jurisdiction for identification
and record keeping.
U.S. government sections and townships method - CORRECT ANSWER -utilizes a grid of lines;
the horizontal lines are township or tier lines. The vertical lines are called range lines, both lines
run in six mile increments.
Appurtenant rights - CORRECT ANSWER -are additional beneficial rights, interests and items
associated with land ownership beyond just the physical soil.
Riparian rights - CORRECT ANSWER -refers to a land owner's right to "reasonable use" of water
flowing through or abutting the property. When dealing with a navigable body of water, the
property owner's boundary will extend to the water's accretion line (edge). Non-navigable body
of water, the property owner's boundary will extend to the water's center point.
Littoral rights - CORRECT ANSWER -Refers to a land owner's right to "reasonable use" of the
water abutting the property as in lakes and oceans.
, Accession - CORRECT ANSWER -Attaining land due to the soil deposited by natural elements
such as accretion or alluvial deposit. Title to real property can be acquired this way - the
addition to property through the efforts of man or natural forces.
Erosion - CORRECT ANSWER -Natural elements cause a steady decrease in land.
Accretion - CORRECT ANSWER -Deposit of soil by water that results in the steady increase in
land.
Alluvial - CORRECT ANSWER -Water shifts alluvium soil resulting in gradual increase of land.
Avulsion - CORRECT ANSWER -Water abruptly changes its course resulting in rapid decrease in
land
Reliction - CORRECT ANSWER -Retreat of water causes a steady increase in land.
Natural flow doctrine - CORRECT ANSWER -Riparian owner's use cannot cause the water to
diminish in the amount, quality or pace. All riparian owners have the right to have access to the
water in its natural state.
Doctrine of reasonable use - CORRECT ANSWER -Each riparian owner is entitled to "reasonable
use of the water."
Doctrine of prior appropriation - CORRECT ANSWER -Refers to the water rights that not linked to
land ownership. These can be sold and mortgaged as real property.
Doctrine of beneficial use - CORRECT ANSWER -States that the first users of the water have
priority, but must use the water in a beneficial manner and within a reasonable time frame.
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS | LATEST
UPDATE (2026) | ALREADY GRADED A+
Land - CORRECT ANSWER -The physical property and any natural objects on it - like trees and
bodies of water, often referred to as a "lot', "site", or "parcel".
Real estate - CORRECT ANSWER -generally refers to land with permanent manmade
improvements.
Real property - CORRECT ANSWER -refers not only to the land and its improvements, but also
the bundle of rights, powers, and privileges ("bundle of rights") that are legally connected to
ownership of that land. Transferred by deed.
Tangible rights - CORRECT ANSWER -based on the physical aspects of a property, such as claims
to: land, buildings, garages, barn/sheds or other improvements, forests, farmland, vineyards,
trees, plant life, floral gardens (with some minor exceptions), fixtures (such as fences, plumbing,
etc.).
Intangible rights - CORRECT ANSWER -associated with areas above and below the land surface,
access and privileges such as: air rights, water rights, subsurface rights (mineral rights),
easements, licenses profits, leases, mortgages.
Personal property - CORRECT ANSWER -refers to property those tangible and moveable, such as
furniture and swing sets. Personal property does not include rights to the land and it is
transferred by "Bill of Sale." Personal property can become real property when it becomes a
permanent fixture of the land.
Fixtures - CORRECT ANSWER -are items that have been permanently attached to real property.
Can be pieces of personal property that have been "physically or constructively annexed" to a
,structure. Tests of a fixture: M-A-R-I-A - Method of attachment, adaptability, Relationship of the
parties, Intent, Agreement between the parties.
Land characteristics - CORRECT ANSWER -There are two main characteristics to describe land
and land function; physical characteristics and economic characteristics.
Physical land characteristcs - CORRECT ANSWER -Immobility - land cannot be moved in its
entirety; Indestructibility - Although land can be damaged by storms or disasters, ultimately, it
cannot be destroyed because it continues to change, adjust and develop over time. Non-
homogeneity - no two pieces of land are identical.
Economic characteristics of land - CORRECT ANSWER -Scarcity - In some areas, land is
considered a rarity, and ownership is even more unlikely. Permanence - Also known as "fixity,"
permanence refers to the lasting potential of land. Situs - Concept that some locations are more
and less valuable. Improvements - Structures and landscaping add value to land.
Metes and bounds - CORRECT ANSWER -A method of describing real property that uses
geography and land features with direction and distances to define and describe the boundaries
of the land.
Rectangular survey system - CORRECT ANSWER -Traditional method of surveying property and it
measures factors such as precise length of line run, natural materials (flora/fauna), and surface
and land soil.
Government or US public land system - CORRECT ANSWER -Most commonly used method to
survey and spatially identify land or property parcels before designating ownership, whether for
sale or transfer.
Townships - CORRECT ANSWER -A survey method that refers to a square unit of land that is six
miles on each side.
,Principal meridians - CORRECT ANSWER -Method that uses principal meridian line for survey
control in a large region, which divides townships between north/south/east/west.
Base line and meridian intersections - CORRECT ANSWER -In CA, there are three base line-
meridian intersections that are used for legal descriptions. Base lines run horizontally (east to
west) and meridians run vertically (north to south). The three base-line meridian intersections
used in CA are: Humboldt Base Line and Meridian (northern part of state), Mt. Diablo Base Line
and Meridian (central), San Bernardino Base Line and Meridian (southern).
Recorded plat - CORRECT ANSWER -Also known as the lot and block survey system, this system
is used for lots in a variety of areas.
Assessor's parcel number (APN) - CORRECT ANSWER -Also known as an appraisal's account
number, a number assigned to parcels of property by the area's jurisdiction for identification
and record keeping.
U.S. government sections and townships method - CORRECT ANSWER -utilizes a grid of lines;
the horizontal lines are township or tier lines. The vertical lines are called range lines, both lines
run in six mile increments.
Appurtenant rights - CORRECT ANSWER -are additional beneficial rights, interests and items
associated with land ownership beyond just the physical soil.
Riparian rights - CORRECT ANSWER -refers to a land owner's right to "reasonable use" of water
flowing through or abutting the property. When dealing with a navigable body of water, the
property owner's boundary will extend to the water's accretion line (edge). Non-navigable body
of water, the property owner's boundary will extend to the water's center point.
Littoral rights - CORRECT ANSWER -Refers to a land owner's right to "reasonable use" of the
water abutting the property as in lakes and oceans.
, Accession - CORRECT ANSWER -Attaining land due to the soil deposited by natural elements
such as accretion or alluvial deposit. Title to real property can be acquired this way - the
addition to property through the efforts of man or natural forces.
Erosion - CORRECT ANSWER -Natural elements cause a steady decrease in land.
Accretion - CORRECT ANSWER -Deposit of soil by water that results in the steady increase in
land.
Alluvial - CORRECT ANSWER -Water shifts alluvium soil resulting in gradual increase of land.
Avulsion - CORRECT ANSWER -Water abruptly changes its course resulting in rapid decrease in
land
Reliction - CORRECT ANSWER -Retreat of water causes a steady increase in land.
Natural flow doctrine - CORRECT ANSWER -Riparian owner's use cannot cause the water to
diminish in the amount, quality or pace. All riparian owners have the right to have access to the
water in its natural state.
Doctrine of reasonable use - CORRECT ANSWER -Each riparian owner is entitled to "reasonable
use of the water."
Doctrine of prior appropriation - CORRECT ANSWER -Refers to the water rights that not linked to
land ownership. These can be sold and mortgaged as real property.
Doctrine of beneficial use - CORRECT ANSWER -States that the first users of the water have
priority, but must use the water in a beneficial manner and within a reasonable time frame.
