Ohio Land Title Association – Title Agent Practice Exam 2026 - Free Title Agent Practice Questions and Study Guide

The legal principle that grants someone control over the use of property through conditions imposed in a deed is known as covenants. A covenant is a formal agreement or promise in a deed that dictates certain actions or behavior regarding the property. This can include restrictions on how the property may be used, such as prohibiting certain types of construction or requiring property upkeep to maintain neighborhood standards.

Covenants can be categorized into affirmative covenants, which require the property owner to do something (like maintain a fence), and negative covenants, which restrict the property owner from doing something (like building taller structures). They run with the land, meaning they bind future owners of the property as well.

In contrast, encumbrances refer to claims or liens against a property that affect its title or value but do not provide the same level of control as covenants. Restrictions are closely related to covenants but can be seen as a more general term referring to limitations placed on property use, which may not necessarily be formalized through a deed. Servitudes involve the right of one party to use another party's land for a specific purpose, but they're generally broader in scope compared to covenants. Overall, covenants specifically are designed to control and manage property use through conditions laid out