Which action can turn real property into personal property?

Severance is the process that transforms real property into personal property by detaching it from the land. This typically occurs when something that is considered a fixture—like a built-in appliance or a tree—has been removed from the property. Once severed, the item is no longer considered a part of the real estate and is classified as personal property. Real property encompasses land and anything permanently attached to it, while personal property is movable and not affixed to land.

To provide context, attachment refers to the process through which personal property becomes a fixture and thus a part of real estate, while reliction and accretion are related to natural processes affecting real property—reliction refers to the increase in land due to the receding of water, and accretion pertains to the gradual accumulation of land by natural forces. These processes do not convert real estate into personal property; instead, they relate to the formation or enhancement of real property. Therefore, severance is the appropriate action for turning real property into personal property.