Transcript Legal Property Descriptions

Legal Property Descriptions
Dr. Stanley D. Longhofer

When you buy or sell property, it is essential
that you know exactly what land is a part of
the property and what is not
 A property description is legally sufficient if it
allows a competent surveyor to identify the exact
boundaries of the property
 Street addresses are generally insufficient
because they are too imprecise

Three methods are used to describe real
estate:
 Metes and bounds
 The rectangular survey system
 Recorded plats

Under this system, the property is described by
conducting a tour around the property by
locating identifiable landmarks
 The description must always end at the point of
beginning (POB)
 Metes are the distances used in the description
 Bounds are the directions of the boundaries that
enclose a piece of land
 Monuments are identifying landmarks used as
reference points in the description

Example:
 A tract of land located in Wichita, Sedgwick County
Kansas, described as follows: Commencing at the
intersection of the west line of Hampton Road and the
north line of Thompson Lane; thence west 200 feet along
the north line of Thompson Lane; thence north 15° east to
the center thread of Buckskin Creek, being 175 feet more
or less; thence easterly along the center line of said creek
to its intersection with the west line of Hampton Road,
being 220 feet more or less; thence southerly along the
west line of Hampton Road to the point of beginning,
being 160 feet more or less.
220 ft.
175 ft.
Buckskin Creek
160 ft.
200 ft.
Thompson Lane
Hampton Road
N

The government survey system was created in
1785 to standardize the description of land
acquired by the newly formed U.S. government
 Principal meridians
 Base lines
 Township lines
▪ Township tiers
 Range lines
▪ Ranges
 Township squares
 Sections
Principal Meridian
Range Lines
Range
T1S, R2W
Township Lines
T2N, R3E
Base Line
Township Tier
6
5
4
3
2
1
7
8
9
10
11
12
T3N, R2E
18
17
16
15
14
13
19
20
21
22
23
24
30
29
28
27
26
25
31
32
33
34
35
36
1
Furlong
660
Feet
1,320 Feet
N ½ of NE ¼
(80 Acres)
NW ¼ of SE ¼ of NE ¼
(10 Acres)
W ½ of SW ¼ of NW ¼
(20 Acres)
Section 22
NW ¼ of SE ¼ of
SE ¼ of NE ¼
(2.5 Acres)
SE ¼
(160 Acres)
SE ¼ of SW ¼
(40 Acres)
T3N, R2E
2,640 Feet
80 Rods
40 Chains, 160 rods

Under this property description system, a
subdivision plat is prepared by a licensed
surveyor or engineer
 The Plat divides the land into numbered or lettered
lots and blocks
 Legal descriptions may then refer to the plat records
▪ Lot and block number
▪ Name or number of the subdivision plat
▪ Name of the county and state

Elevations can also be a part of legal property
descriptions
 Condominium units
 Air rights
 Subsurface rights

A datum is a point, line or surface from which
elevations are measured or indicated