What is a restrictive covenant?

A restrictive covenant is fundamentally a promise or agreement that restricts how a landowner can use their property. This often involves stipulations that are meant to maintain a certain standard within a community or to protect the value of surrounding property. For example, a restrictive covenant might prevent the construction of buildings over a certain height, restrict the types of animals that can be kept, or limit the kinds of businesses that can operate in a neighborhood.

These covenants are typically included in property deeds and can be enforced legally, allowing other property owners in the vicinity to ensure that their properties are not adversely affected by a neighbor's use of their land. This mechanism is often employed in residential developments to promote uniformity and maintain property values, thereby ensuring that the community remains desirable to current and future homeowners.