In which type of estate can an individual have sole ownership that can be transferred to heirs?

The fee simple estate is recognized as the highest form of property ownership, granting the owner complete control over the property. It allows the owner to use, sell, or develop the property and provides the ability to transfer it to heirs upon death. This means that when the owner passes away, the property will be inherited by their designated heirs, ensuring that the ownership continues without restriction.

In contrast, a life estate provides ownership that lasts for the duration of a person's life, after which the property typically reverts to another party, rather than being passed on to heirs. Tenancy in common allows for co-ownership among multiple individuals; while each owner can transfer their share, there is no right of survivorship that would automatically transfer ownership to heirs. Joint tenancy does provide a right of survivorship, meaning that upon the death of one owner, their interest automatically passes to the surviving owners rather than to heirs.

The fee simple estate's combination of full ownership rights and the ability to inherit makes it the correct answer for this question.