1. Principles of Real Estate
Legal Property Descriptions
Dr. Stanley D. Longhofer

2. Describing Land
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

3. Describing Land Three methods are used to describe real estate:
Metes and bounds
The rectangular survey system
Recorded plats

4. Metes and Bounds Descriptions
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

5. Metes and Bounds Descriptions

6. Metes and Bounds Descriptions
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.

7. Metes and Bounds Descriptions
Hampton Road
Thompson Lane
Buckskin Creek
220 ft.
175 ft.
160 ft.
200 ft. N

8. Metes and Bounds Descriptions

9. Rectangular Survey System
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

10. Township Squares Principal Meridian Base Line Range Lines
Real Estate 310
Township Squares
Legal Property Descriptions
Principal Meridian
Range
Township Lines
Range Lines
T2N, R3E
Base Line
T1S, R2W
Township Tier

11. Sections in a Township 6 5 4 3 2 1 7 8 9 10 11 12 T3N, R2E 18 17 16 1514 13 19 20 21 22 23 24 30 29 28 27 26 25 31 32 33 34 35 36

12. Subdividing a Section Section 22 T3N, R2E 1,320 Feet N ½ of NE ¼
40 Chains, 160 rods
80 Rods
2,640 Feet
1,320 Feet 1
Furlong
660
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)
NW ¼ of SE ¼ of
SE ¼ of NE ¼
(2.5 Acres)
Section 22
T3N, R2E
SE ¼
(160 Acres)
SE ¼ of SW ¼
(40 Acres)

13. Correction Lines

14. Correction Lines

15. Real Estate 310
Recorded Plat System
Legal Property Descriptions
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

16. Subdivision Plat Map

17. Measuring Elevations
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