Who holds the title to property when an individual is a sole owner?

The title to property is held by the sole owner themselves when an individual is the only owner of a property. This means that the legal ownership and rights to the property belong directly to that individual. They have the authority to make decisions regarding the property, including selling it, leasing it, or transferring ownership.

In contrast, the other options relate to situations where ownership is either not singular or there are additional legal considerations involved. The county registrar, for example, may maintain records of property ownership, but they do not hold the title; they simply record it. The deceased owner's estate would come into play only after the individual has passed away, at which point the title would be transferred according to the will or state intestacy laws, not while the owner is still living. Lastly, a surviving spouse may have rights to property through survivorship or inheritance, but they do not hold the title unless the property was jointly owned or specifically passed to them through legal means upon the original owner's death.