How to Find the Legal Description of Any Property in 2 Minutes

A legal description in real estate is a detailed way of describing a parcel of land in a document that will be accepted by a court of law. It uniquely identifies and accurately locates and describes the boundaries of the property, distinguishing it from all other properties. Legal descriptions are used in deeds, leases, and other legal documents to ensure there is no ambiguity about the property being transferred or encumbered.
The main types of legal descriptions are:
*Metes and Bounds*: This is the oldest type of legal description and is often used for rural land. It describes the boundaries of a parcel by referencing physical features, distances (metes), and directions (bounds). It typically starts at a well-defined point (like a landmark or a marker) and follows the boundaries of the land by directions and distances, ending back at the point of origin.
Lot and Block (Recorded Plat): This method is commonly used in residential, commercial, and urban areas. A plat is a map of a land area, usually divided into lots, which are numbered or lettered. The legal description refers to these lot and block numbers, along with the name of the subdivision and sometimes the map book and page number where the plat is recorded in the county records.
Legal descriptions must be written clearly to avoid misunderstandings or disputes over property boundaries, which can be crucial in any real estate transaction or legal proceeding.
Tiffany Webber is a real estate attorney and owner of Thomas & Webber, a real estate law firm in Mooresville, North Carolina. They handle both commercial and residential real estate closings, estate planning, and business formations.
If you'd like to work with Thomas & Webber, please email [e-mail]
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Thomas & Webber
514 Williamson Rd.
Suite 421
Mooresville, NC 28117
704-663-1600
www.thomasandwebber.com
00:00 - What is a Legal Description?
00:55 - The Two Kinds
02:25 - How to Find Them

[@williamlloyd3769]

GIS - Geographic information system

[@TheRealEstateLawyer]

There it is 🙌

[@AverysOutdoorAdventures-rq5sk]

As a surveyor I'm happy to hear a realtor actually giving accurate and good information. Thank you lol

[@TheRealEstateLawyer]

I’m an attorney, but thanks.

[@skynetlabs]

Same thing...both are professional liars. 🤣

[@dg2152]

Thanks Tiffany. Almost every county in the USA has a GIS system. Simply enter the county name and state name and GIS. (Ex. Greene county MO GIS) Some systems require your acceptance of their terms for use, and almost all have Plat view and satellite view as well. Enjoy your channel much, always great info.

[@jpmacoo]

Good video. A few things. If the deed doesn't contain everything that you agreed to, you can try to get a confirmatory deed from the grantor. Talk to your closing attorney, and if this was a mistake on their part, you should be able to get the deed written and recorded for free.
Check your deed, not only for missing parcels, but missing calls. I noticed on mine that it totally missed one of the lines, and even though it's a rectangular parcel, the deed only had three of the lines written. Again, it was a simple fix with a confirmatory deed.
Depending on where you live, deeds may not be at the county courthouse, but in the town hall in the Recorder of Deeds office. Vermont, Connecticut, and Rhode Island are three states I know of where this is done. And in Vermont, at least, we have many small towns where nothing is online, and business hours can be intermittent.

[@MaiyahJimenez]

Real estate broker here in Long Beach CA. I'm so glad that I've found your channel!!

[@TheRealEstateLawyer]

Welcome aboard!

[@JudgeCommitee-ck5wq]

So are we she’s awesome.

[@Divyv520]

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[@MalikAustin-hy1nf]

Does this G.I.S work in Kansas to find the property information?

[@unknownunknown7107]

Sorry to bother you.... I'm trying to find what my property rights are in Arizona in regards to drainage and flood waters.
Is there something I can do to not have to allow flood waters across my property? There is a bunch to the story but my yard is mostly unusable with an 8' wide riverbed going through it at a 45 degree angle across the yard. I talked to the city and they said I'd have to get a new drainage plan costing thousands.
What can I do? Any information will help.
Thank you for any time you can spare.

[@TheRealEstateLawyer]

I’m in North Carolina. I will be 0 help to you in specifics for Arizona law.