Understanding the Role of Metes and Bounds in Your Deed
Property deeds are important articles that play an essential role in society. A deed is a legally binding article that describes a given plot or piece of property and identifies the owner of a piece of land. When a piece of land is sold, the deed is an essential part of the transfer. The names of the parties that are selling and buying the property are signed on the deed to establish a legal transfer of ownership from a grantor to a grantee.
In order for deeds to be legally viable, they must meet certain criteria. One of the main elements that a deed must have is an adequate description of a property, part of which will include a boundary survey in Guadalupe County, TX. This adequate description could be provided through sections and townships, recorded lot numbers or what are called metes and bounds. Metes and bounds is a system that describes the dimensions of a property in a way that establishes boundaries.
Metes and bounds explained
The basic purpose of metes and bounds is to describe a plot of land in relation to a specified reference point. This reference point, also known as a monument, is the basis for the description of a plot’s boundaries. This monument could be something like a tree, or even a marking placed by a boundary surveyor. From this point, or from a designated point around the monument, a surveyor will plot a course. This course will be designated as either north or south, followed by the degrees south or north and the length of the course. A metes and bounds course may be written as “South 40° west 35 feet,” for example. These courses will be specified until there is an established boundary that is completely enclosed back to the designated starting point.
Although metes and bounds are a commonly used and accepted form of boundary survey in Guadalupe County, TX, there are some errors and inconsistencies that can arise with this system. In some cases, the courses are disputed or found to be inconsistent. In these cases, the reliability of the monument or starting point of the course will be given precedent over the course itself. As an example, if a course indicates that the boundary extends 140 feet to the bank of a river, but the distance to the river is actually 160 feet, a court would defer to the location of the river as the edge of the boundary rather than the distance of 140 feet.
Get a boundary survey in Guadalupe County, TX
Because of the importance of having an accurate deed, it’s critical that you have a professional boundary survey in Guadalupe County, TX performed to establish the bounds of your land. If you are in need of land surveying services that you can trust, contact Bettersworth & Associates, Inc. For decades, we have been providing our clients with reliable and accurate services. Our professional team has the experience and knowledge necessary to provide accurate boundary surveys to fit your specific needs. To find out more about what we can do to assist you, simply contact us today.
Categorised in: Boundary Survey