The interesting thing here is the statute defines "real property" thus: "(i) 'Real property' or 'real estate' means any interest or estate in land... including any assignment, leasehold, subleasehold, or mineral right...."

You can make money in a variety of ways: rent, appreciation, insurance claims, air rights, water rights, mineral rights, and so on.Real estate allows you to invest in an area that many investor refuse to participate in due to fragmentation.

People want to give their kids the mineral interest they own but want to keep getting the royalty payments until they die.

There is also usually very little on the severing of mineral rights from surface rights. 

It's taken me a little while but I'm starting to think real estate attorneys and title companies are the biggest $ winners in the current real estate market with all the distressed properties flying through the system...

On Will's comment:" It is unforceable because nobody can tell another owner what they can or cant do with their property"CCR's, mineral rights, air space rights, easements, these are all effectively someone else telling another owner what they can or can't do with their property.

Anyone ever have experience or know anyone that has listed a mineral mine? 

Hey @Loren Miner, that was definitely a great intro.

Also an owner who might have mineral rights underneath the land they want to tap later on for additional revenue. 

My Dads attorney back the day.. ( 60s) told me .. " son you want to make money in real estate you learn the courthouse"  which basically reefer's to all these kinds of deals.. understanding your tax sale laws.. foreclosure laws.. lien laws and right.. timber rights mineral rights  water rights..