You usually buy a house plus a term of land-use rights — not English freehold dirt under the building.
Urban China typically separates building ownership from state-owned land conveyed as granted or allocated land-use rights with terms (for example residential vs commercial). Transfer, mortgage and renewal practice are technical and local. This upgrade keeps the live alias. Property title explains the certificate. Purchase DD checks term remaining and use type. related real-property guide remains deep.
4 questions before you choose the route.
This page identifies the right question and evidence. It does not determine the legal outcome on a reader’s facts.
Granted vs allocated?
Type.
TypeRemaining term and use?
Term.
TermTransfer restrictions?
Rules.
TransferTitle certificate consistent?
related pages.
TitleWorking rule: Map the regulated role before marketing or launch in China.
The signal ledger.
These facts move the question beyond a label and into a product, money-flow and control analysis.
Bring a compact evidence docket—not a pitch deck.
Give a compliance team or counsel the operating facts that reveal the perimeter.
Questions people ask before they build.
Short answers for orientation. The right result can change with the service model and current rules.
Do residential LUR expire worthless?
Renewal practice exists and is policy-sensitive — do not DIY the end-of-term theory.
Where is title?
Open /china-property-title.
Primary authorities
Reviewed sources support orientation, not a fact-specific assessment.