What is the primary characteristic of a tenancy in common?

The primary characteristic of a tenancy in common is that it provides for an undivided interest in the property without survivorship rights. This means that each co-owner possesses a separate share of the property, which is indivisible and does not give any single owner the exclusive right to a specific portion of the property.

In a tenancy in common, if one owner passes away, their share of the property does not automatically transfer to the other co-owners; instead, it can be passed on to their heirs or as directed in their estate plan. This differentiates it from a joint tenancy, which includes rights of survivorship, allowing deceased co-owners' shares to transfer to the surviving co-owners. The structure of a tenancy in common allows for flexibility in ownership where shares can be owned in equal or unequal proportions, but the key element is the absence of survivorship.

In this context, the other options do not capture the essence of a tenancy in common as accurately. For instance, shared rights of survivorship would instead relate to a joint tenancy. Equal shares among co-owners may be a feature of some tenancies in common, but it does not define it as this type of tenancy allows for ownership in varying proportions. Exclusive ownership rights