What are air rights in real estate?

Air rights in real estate refer to the legal rights that a property owner has to control, use, and develop the airspace above their property. This concept allows property owners to extend their ownership beyond just the land and the structures on it, providing them with the ability to build upwards, construct buildings, or create various developments that utilize the airspace above their land.

In urban areas, air rights can be especially valuable as they permit the construction of high-rise buildings, which can significantly increase property value and overall development potential. These rights are regulated and can be transferred or sold to other developers, allowing for creative urban planning and development strategies.

The other options are related to different types of property rights. For instance, rights to dig for minerals pertain to subsurface rights, while rights associated with surface land use cover the actual land and its physical attributes. Ownership of a watercourse relates to rights specific to waterways and their surrounding environments. None of these alternative definitions capture the specific legal concept of air rights, which is focused solely on the space above the property.