Real Estate Services operates under a Self-Governance Compact with the Secretary of the Interior.

Real Estate Services has oversight of approximately 46,000 acres of Restricted land, over 62,000 acres of Tribal Trust land and over 5,100 acres of Tribal Fee land.

• Restricted Land - land the title to which is held by an individual Indian and which can only be alienated or encumbered by the individual Indian owner with the approval of the Secretary of the Interior according to Indian land conveyance provisions and limitations found in Title 25 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). Prior to December 31, 2018, Cherokee allotted lands were held in restricted status only if the owner was at least one-half Indian blood by quantum.  The Amendment of the Stigler Act, passed December 31, 2018, removed the blood quantum provision.

• Trust Land - land held in Trust by the United States of America for an individual Indian refers to land accepted by the federal government to be protected and be under the jurisdiction of the United States of America for the benefit of an individual Indian.  Trust land can only be alienated or encumbered by the individual Indian owner with approval of the Secretary of the Interior, according to the Indian land conveyance.

• Fee Land (or fee simple) - an interest in land that is owned in unrestricted status and is freely alienable by the owner; the owner has full powers of disposition.