1L Property Guide — Everything You Need to Know
Starting property as a 1L can feel overwhelming. This guide breaks down what to expect, the topics you will cover, and how to prepare for exams.
What to Expect
Property is one of the foundational 1L courses. You will learn through the case method — reading appellate court opinions and extracting legal rules through class discussion. Expect to be cold-called and asked to explain the facts, holding, and reasoning of assigned cases.
Your grade will likely depend on a single final exam, typically a 3-4 hour essay exam that presents fact patterns requiring you to identify issues, state the relevant rules, apply them to the facts, and reach a conclusion (IRAC method).
Topics You Will Cover
●Acquisition of Property
●Estates & Future Interests
●Landlord-Tenant
●Easements & Covenants
●Takings
●Recording Acts
●Zoning
Key Cases to Know
Exam Strategies
- 1Classify the estate first — fee simple, life estate, or defeasible fee — before analyzing future interests.
- 2For RAP questions, identify the validating life and trace the vesting within lives in being + 21 years.
- 3Adverse possession essays require you to analyze each element separately with facts.
- 4Takings questions: first ask if it is a per se taking (Loretto/Lucas), then apply Penn Central.