What results when a joint tenant sells their interest to another person?

When a joint tenant sells their interest to another person, the result is that the new arrangement typically becomes a tenancy in common rather than a continuation of joint tenancy. The original joint tenancy is severed with the sale of the interest.

In a joint tenancy, all owners have an equal share and a right of survivorship, meaning if one joint tenant dies, their interest automatically passes to the surviving joint tenants. However, when a joint tenant sells their interest, this right of survivorship is broken. The selling tenant effectively creates a new relationship with the buyer, where the original joint tenants remain as tenants of their respective portions, while the buyer's interest does not carry the right of survivorship from the original joint tenants. Instead, the buyer and the remaining original joint tenants will now hold their interests as tenants in common, each with their own distinct rights concerning the property.

Understanding this distinction is crucial when dealing with joint ownership of property, as it significantly impacts the nature of ownership and the rights of the parties involved.