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Define Dower in Real Estate

Dower: 

"Dower" is a legal term that refers to a wife's right to a portion of her husband's property when he passes away. In the past, this was a way to make sure that the wife would be financially protected even after her husband's death. Nowadays, dower rights have been replaced by other legal concepts in most places, but it's still an important term to know in real estate.

Example: 

For example, a husband owns a house, and his wife has dower rights to it. If the husband passes away, the wife would be entitled to a specific share of the property, such as one-third, depending on the laws in their area.

"Wit & Whimsy with the Dumb Ox: Unlocking Knowledge with Rhyme:"

In times gone by, when husbands owned,
The houses and the lands where families had grown,
A wife had a right, a special claim,
Called "dower" was its name.

When the husband passed away, sad and true,
The wife would be protected, with her claim to,
A part of his property, her share was due,
To keep her safe and sound, with a roof and a view.

Imagine a man, with a house and a tree,
He left this world, leaving the wife in need.
With dower rights in hand, she would claim her part,
A share of the house, to mend her broken heart.

Though times have changed, and laws have, too,
"Dower" is a term we still review,
In real estate, it's history we learn,
As we study the past, and its pages we turn.