Tenancy in common is a type of joint ownership often used by common-law spouses, couples in second marriages, or family or friends who own real estate together. Tenants in common can own different percentages of a property, and they own a divided interest or share of a property, rather than jointly owning the entire property together.
Joint tenancy with right of survivorship is commonly used by married couples to own real estate, whereby spouses simultaneously own 100% of a property. When a joint tenant dies, their ownership interest passes directly to the survivor—the so-called right of survivorship—who then owns the whole property.