What property interest is characterized by perpetual ownership under specific conditions, with ownership reverting if those conditions are violated?

The concept of a property interest characterized by perpetual ownership under specific conditions, which reverts ownership if those conditions are violated, is best described by a fee simple defeasible. This type of estate is a form of fee simple ownership but comes with conditions that must be adhered to. If the specified conditions are not met, the property automatically reverts back to the original grantor or their heirs.

In a fee simple defeasible, the owner has complete control and ownership of the property, but that ownership is contingent upon obeying certain conditions outlined at the time of the conveyance. If these conditions are breached, the property does not remain with the owner indefinitely; rather, it reverts to the original grantor, demonstrating a legal mechanism to ensure compliance with the stipulated terms.

This differentiates it from a fee simple estate, which represents absolute ownership without conditions, and a fee simple determinable, which automatically ends upon the violation of a condition but does so differently than a fee simple defeasible, as its reversion is not contingent but rather automatic. A life estate, on the other hand, grants ownership for the duration of an individual's life and does not involve conditions for perpetual ownership. Therefore, the characteristics of perpetual ownership with specific conditional terms make fee simple