Which process describes how real property becomes personal property?

Severance is the process through which real property is transformed into personal property. This typically occurs when a part of the land or any substantial improvement tied to the land is separated from its attachment to the real estate. For example, if a tree is cut down and removed from the property, it becomes personal property. This change emphasizes the distinction between real property, which is immovable and attached to land, and personal property, which can be moved or relocated.

In contrast, the other processes mentioned relate to how property changes statuses in different ways. Accretion refers to the addition of land due to natural processes, like the buildup of soil along a riverbank, thus increasing real property rather than converting it into personal property. Attachment implies physically fixing personal property to real property, enhancing the real estate rather than removing it from the category of real property. Annexation is the process of making personal property a permanent part of the real estate, which also does not pertain to converting real property into personal property.