Which concept refers to the continuing right of property owners to occupy or use their property?

The concept that refers to the continuing right of property owners to occupy or use their property is a freehold estate. A freehold estate is an ownership interest in real property that is of uncertain duration. It grants the owner the full rights associated with the property, including the right to occupy it perpetually, sell it, lease it, or transfer it to heirs. This estate is contrasted with leasehold estates, where the rights to the property are limited to a specific duration as agreed upon in a lease agreement.

While life estates grant rights to use and occupy a property for the duration of a person's life (but not beyond), and leasehold estates involve a tenant's right to use the property for a specified period under a lease, neither allows for indefinite ownership. Tenancy in common is a form of ownership where two or more individuals hold title to a property, but each owner’s right to occupy or use the property may be subject to agreement with the other co-owners and does not imply full proprietary rights similar to those in a freehold estate.

Therefore, the hallmark of a freehold estate is that it provides the owner with the enduring right to both occupy and utilize the property without a specified end date, distinguishing it from the other types of estates