D promises to paint the outside of E's house in return for a payment of $1,000.

This situation should remind you of contract law. This example is important in the context of property law because you must be able to distinguish between 'property' rights and what are called 'personal' rights. Property rights exist between a person and a thing, whereas personal rights are the legal rights that exist between one person and another person (or persons). Examples of personal rights are those arising in tort law where legal rights exist between a wrongdoer and the person they have injured; and contract law, where legal rights exist between the parties to the contract.

Different kinds of legal right are acquired in different ways. Contractual rights are acquired by agreement, coupled with the intention to be legally bound and the exchange of consideration. There are several ways that a person can acquire property rights, and these will be explained later in this module.

It is possible for both personal rights and property rights to exist alongside each other in particular circumstances and it is important to be able to distinguish them. In the present example, E appears to be the owner of the house that D has agreed to paint.