What Is the Legal Description of a Property?

It may seem on its face that the legal description of a property is obvious, but this is not quite the case. Determining the exact location and boundaries of a property is essential for every real estate transaction. It’s about the land—not any building on the property—being passed from the seller to the buyer. In this way, the property definition in each transaction is unique.

Therefore, defining property boundaries in land surveying in Guadalupe County, TX can be contentious. Sometimes the legal description of a property needs to be rewritten. Possessing this exact level of detail is important for moving forward in any real estate deal. Below we address some of the most common questions about legally defining property.

How is the legal description of property defined?

This is a unique identifier that’s usually fairly short, often just a couple paragraphs long. It describes the parameters of the parcel, including lot numbers, parallels, meridians, total acreage and land features. How legal property definitions are drawn up varies from place to place.

Cities and suburbs use a different system than rural areas. Most of these legal descriptions include the state, county and township of the survey property. A survey sketch is also included.

It’s important to note that the property’s address is different than the legal definition of a property. An address merely describes where the property is to be located on a map or GPS system, but it won’t tell you the defining characteristics of a property.

What are the most essential features of a legal property definition?

The description and the survey sketch comprise the legal definition of a given property. These will include vital elements such as describing boundary lands, providing the name of the parcel and the information about the county, town, subdivision, etc.

For larger, undivided pieces of land, it’s more typical to use the metes and bounds system to determine land size. For cities and suburbs, the recorded plat or lot and block method is utilized.

What is the role of a land surveyor?

The surveyor determines the exact dimensions of the property along with correct, historical borderlines. The land surveyor will compare the current survey with the original survey as well as the real estate description. The land surveyor is responsible for examining the land for stakes, tagged pipes and other markers for original boundaries.

Are you looking for a legal description of property in Guadalupe County, TX? The land planners who keep your interests in mind are Bettersworth & Associates, Inc. We are an experienced team of award-winning land planners with a deep history in the state.

Since our founding in 1953, we’ve sought to improve the value of our clients’ land resources to help them and support the community at large. Over the years, we’ve developed strong, long-term relationships with our clients by advocating for their needs. That’s how we’ve developed a reputation as the leading land planner in the county. Call Bettersworth & Associates, Inc. today to learn more about what we can do for you!

Categorised in: Property Lines