Using the legal description tells us exactly where the property is at by locating those certain permanent reference points, or monument points, to find the property. “Surveyors should never use an address to survey because an address could be wrong. Sign up for our upcoming webinar on land surveys to learn more! This is typically based on existing township grids and uses a combination of alphabetical abbreviations and numbers to locate the land. Homebuyers and even homeowners may not be as familiar with this term, so here are some important things to know about this part of real estate due diligence.Ī legal description of real property is a way to accurately pinpoint where a particular piece of property is located. The legal description is an equally important tool for surveyors. It’s especially important in a commercial real estate deal, where an investor needs to know exactly what they’re getting, but an incorrect legal description can also have dire consequences for a homebuyer. You will need to request a copy from the surveyor and, in some instances, the permission of the person that obtained the survey may be required.Every settlement agent worth their salt understands how important the legal description is in a real estate transaction. If a survey plat indicates that it has been recorded in the office of the Register of Deeds (North Carolina) or the Clerk of Superior Court (Georgia), you can obtain a copy from that office or possibly download a copy from the appropriate office. You may also see numbers indicating lot numbers on mapped subdivisions or parcels of land as well as deed references indicating where descriptions of other property can be found in land records. It all depends on which direction you are facing when following the line. A line showing it travels N 15° 30′ 45″ E can also be described as traveling S 15° 30′ 45″ W. Survey plats can also be read in reverse. As you continue to turn you would face West, located 90 degrees West of North. If you turned around you would be facing South and would be 180 degrees South of North. Directly to your right (East) would be 90 degrees East of North. To better understand this concept, imagine that you are facing North. Minutes and seconds are small subdivisions of degrees. This indicates that the line is 166.25 feet long and is pointing 15 degrees 30 minutes and 45 seconds in a Northeast direction. For example, a segment may have the notation N 15° 30′ 45″ E on one side of the line and the notation 166.25′ on the other side of the line. Each segment will contain numbers and letters indicating the direction from North that the line proceeds as well as the distance to the next point. Once you find the beginning point you can follow each segment of the boundary until you return to the point of beginning. The point where the lines reach the surveyed parcel is referred to as “the point of beginning” or the “beginning point.” Some surveys will specifically identify these points as the “starting point” and “point of beginning.” From that point (the “starting point”) the survey plat will show a line or series of lines, with various points along the line marked, leading to the parcel that was surveyed. Survey plats will usually “tie in” to a United States Geological Survey Marker or some easily identified point such as the intersection of two highway rights of way or a corner of some previously surveyed tract of land. Now find the point of beginning for the parcel. You will see symbols indicating where pins from prior surveys were found (existing pin), where pins were placed by the surveyor who prepared the survey (pin placed), monuments, easements, structures and other information on the survey plat. This will orient you to the property’s actual location on the ground. To read a plat, first locate the North arrow. “Metes and bounds” refers to the surveyor’s measurements of each portion of the property boundary. A survey plat is a drawing prepared by a licensed land surveyor showing the actual location of a parcel of property.Ī survey plat will usually contain information about the surveyor, a brief title of the document, data regarding its preparation, a legend identifying symbols on the plat, identification of adjoining property owners and a “metes and bounds” description of the property. Property disputes almost always require review of a survey plat.
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