Final answer:
Contractual and property rights usually require written contracts for the transfer of land interests, but exceptions include partial performance, promissory estoppel, usufruct rights, and restrictive covenants and easements.
Step-by-step explanation:
While contractual rights often stem from property rights, there are exceptions to the general rule requiring a written contract for the transfer of an interest in land. This is grounded in the legal principle of the Statute of Frauds, which mandates written agreements for certain types of transactions. However, one notable exception includes a situation where there is partial performance by one party that clearly indicates the existence of a contract. For instance, if a buyer has made significant improvements to the land believing there was a contract, a court might enforce the agreement despite the lack of written form. Another exception might be found in cases of promissory estoppel, where one party has relied to their detriment on the promise of the other, again potentially resulting in enforcement.
Furthermore, in some traditional societies, the concept of private property does not exist in the same way it does in Western legal traditions. Usufruct rights permit individuals to use the land, but not to own or sell it, with rights being passed through familial lines. Another form of exception arises in the case of restrictive covenants and easements, where land developers impose certain conditions on the use of land within a development.