Curious what a legal description of property document is? It’s a very short document, usually only about five sentences long, which describes a piece of real estate. In most cases, the legal description of property comes with a survey sketch as a visual way to determine the boundaries of a property.
This is an essential document in real estate transactions since it is a unique identifier to ensure everyone knows the details about the property that is being sold. A description of property is created by legal professionals but may be written in various ways depending on the property and its location.
What Is Included in the Document?
Several things must be included in legal descriptions of property. The following should be contained somewhere within the document:
- Information about the subdivision, town, or county
- The complete acreage of the real estate property
- All of the defining features of the land
- Where the exact boundary lines of the property can be found
As such, a legal description of property is not the same as the address of the property. While the address helps you find the property on a map, addresses can change. A legal description of property has the specific boundaries of the property and how much land is sold. While it can be more complicated and longer, it’s also more precise.
When Do You Need a Legal Description of Property?
The main time when a legal description of property is needed is when ownership of real estate is moved from one person to another. As such, the legal description is most often included in property deeds and signifies what piece of property is being described.
However, it will also be in sales contracts, mortgage papers, and other legal documents related to land. The main purpose of the legal description of property is to ensure everyone involved knows the boundaries of the real estate that is being sold. It is required to transfer the property to another owner.
In some cases, the legal description of property may also be used in disputes between neighbors over the boundaries of property. A surveyor will look at the description as a way to decide who is correct in the dispute.
If you need a legal description of property, The attorneys at Bell & Shah can help you with creating the document. It has exact boundaries and will be needed if you plan to sell a piece of property. Several methods can be used to determine the boundaries depending on the situation.
