| Particularly for first time home buyers, title | | | | square 10-acre parcel of land in a section within a |
| documents are confusing. Many buyers simply | | | | "township" and "range" within a state. The section |
| think that these documents are fine "as is," placing | | | | itself is divided into 160-acre quarters, and these |
| their faith in the title company, lender, or Realtors | | | | 160-acre quarters are divided into 40-acre |
| involved with the sale. | | | | quarters and 10-acre quarters, respectively. The |
| Unfortunately, regardless of how confusing these | | | | rectangular survey is common in real estate |
| documents might appear, the buyer has a | | | | transactions in the western United States. |
| responsibility to review the title, survey and legal | | | | Metes and bounds surveys, on the other hand, |
| description. These documents should be provided | | | | are based upon directional calls and bearings that |
| to the buyer for inspection before the closing. | | | | were carefully made by a surveyor. They read |
| The Survey and Legal Description Are Related | | | | something like "THENCE North 10 degrees 20 |
| Together, the survey and property description | | | | minutes 16 seconds West, a distance of 1400 |
| (also known as a "legal description") combine to | | | | feet," and so forth. |
| create the very foundation of what is being | | | | Regardless of whether real estate is described by |
| purchased. These real estate documents describe | | | | a rectangular survey or a metes and bounds |
| in detail the boundaries of the land. An error in | | | | survey, the survey and the property description |
| either the survey or property description can | | | | must match exactly. This cannot be emphasized |
| create costly troubles down the road. | | | | enough! |
| Property descriptions and surveys are connected | | | | Survey Stakes |
| and need to be read together. A buyer can find | | | | Another important thing to do before buying real |
| the property description either within the deed | | | | estate is to walk the land to make sure that the |
| itself or attached as an exhibit to the deed and | | | | surveyor's stakes are located at the four corners |
| other documents. The property description | | | | of the land. Sometimes, there will be additional |
| absolutely must match the survey. If there is a | | | | surveyor's stakes. Surveyor's stakes or pins are |
| discrepancy, the error needs to be corrected | | | | usually marked on the survey. Kids or vandals |
| before the sale to avoid title disputes in the | | | | might pull these stakes out of the ground. If they |
| future. To make sure this is corrected, the buyer | | | | are missing, make sure that the Realtor, title |
| needs to immediately notify the title company, his | | | | company, and seller are informed so that the |
| or her Realtor and perhaps the seller. | | | | problem can be corrected prior to closing. |
| Types of Surveys | | | | Conclusion – Avoid Future Troubles |
| Surveys can be rectangular surveys or metes | | | | There is nothing worse than trying to correct |
| and bounds surveys. Rectangular surveys are | | | | property descriptions and title problems after |
| based on a system that was approved by | | | | closing. This can be an expensive problem that |
| Congress in 1785. These surveys read something | | | | forces you to hire an attorney. The best way to |
| like "NW NW SW Section 24, Township 6 North, | | | | avoid property line disputes is to review the |
| Range 12 East, Gila and Salt River Base and | | | | property description and survey before signing |
| Meridian." This type of survey call describes a | | | | any type of real estate contract. |