10. Legal Description / FL RE pre-license
Fraction of Township
A section can be divided into fractions, as many pieces of property are not this large.
Beginning at the SE corner of the intersection of Olive and 270, thence south 350 feet, thence west 350 feet, thence north 400 feet, thence east 400 Feet. Is this an adequate legal description?
40 acres
A lot contained 600 square yards and had a frontage of 40 feet. If the lot was rectangular in shape, what would be the length of the lot measure? 15 feet 135 feet 185 feet 217 feet
First, convert square yards into square feet 600 x 9 = 5400 square feet. Area = length x width so if area is known then the formula becomes area ÷ width = length or 5400 ÷ 40 = 135 feet.
Section subdivisions
the land within subdivision is divided and references with directional coordinates off the center of section
A lot that measured 330'x198 sold for $30.000,- What is cost per acre
$20.000,-
Formulas to Remember
- Area is always expressed in square feet or square yards - Area of a rectangle is Area = length x width - Area of a triangle is Area = 1/2 base x height - Volume is always expressed in cubic feet or cubic yards - Volume of a rectangle is Volume = length x width x depth - Volume of a triangular prism is Volume = 1/2 base x height x depth
Three accepted methods describing parcels
- Metes and bounds - Rectangular Government survey - Lot and Block number on a plat map
Legal description is required
- public records - crating a valid deed og conveyance or lease - completing mortgage documents - executing and recording other legal documents
Important Measurements
1 mile = 5,280 feet 1 square yard = 9 square feet 1 cubic yard = 27 cubic feet 1 square mile = 640 acres 1 acre = 43,560 square feet. To determine the acreage within a section, calculate the number by multiplying the denominators (lower number) of the fractions in a legal description and divide that number into 640 acres in a section of land
Writing a legal description of section
1. section number 2. township tier number 3. range number Section 36, township 1 south, range 1 west Sec 26 , T1S, R1W
How many acres are there in 1/8 mile squared? (1/8 mile squared is the same a 1/8 mile time 1/8 mile
10
Quarter section
160 acres, measuring 2640 feet (1/4 of the land inside section)
CHECK
A square 24 miles on each side created by intersecting guide meridians and correction lines - use to adjust the grid pattern of squares because of th e curvate of the earth - check CONTAIN 16 TOWNSHIPS There are 36 sets of principal meridians in the United States. To correct for the curvature of the earth, guide meridians are drawn every 24 miles east and west of the principal meridians and offset the principal meridian by 50 feet m/l. Correction lines running east and west are located every 24 miles north and south more or less of the base line. Each 24x24 square created by these guide meridians and correction lines is called a check.
How many acres are in a piece of property measuring 620' x 430'? 5 6.12 7.25 8.36
Answer is 6.12 acres. The problem asks for the area in acres; 620' x 430' = 266,600 square feet. Divide the square footage of the area given by the amount of square feet in an acre 43,560. 266,600/43,560 = 6.12
Resume RGS
CHECK 24 mile x 24 miles = 576 sq. miles Check contain 16 TOWNSHIPS, each township is 6 miles x 6 miles = 36 sq. miles (36 x 16 = 576) Township have 36 SECTIONS, each section is 1 mile x 1 mile = 1 sq. mile = 640 acres 1 mile = 5,280 feet 1 square yard = 9 square feet 1 cubic yard = 27 cubic feet 1 square mile = 640 acres 1 acre = 43,560 square feet.
Because of the curvature of the earth, it is necessary to compensate for the changes in the lines through the use of:
Correction lines
LOT AND BLOCK SYSTEM on plat map
Is used to describe property in residential, commercial, and industrial SUBDIVISIONS. The system utilizes a map referred to as a plat map that is laidout with a complete legal description by section, number, etc. However, once the plat has a complete legal description, smaller areas in the plat are referred to as "subdivision A". Each lot within that subdivision refers to the lot and block where the property is located. An example of DESCRIPTION FORMAT would be Lot 12, Block 6, Quiet Village Subdivision, Jacksonville, FL Each plat is recorded in the county where the property is located so that anyone wishing to find the full legal description can refer to that plat. The recorded ;pt an block numbers of a subdivision pace, along with its section, township and meridian reference, become the property's legal description.
Blocks
Lots may be grouped together into BLOCKS for easy references, enter subdivision is surveyed to specify the size and location of each lot of block
Objects used by surveyors in legal descriptions are:
Monuments
What is the starting point called in a meters and bounds description?
POB
RGS survey Grid
PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN is single designate meridian (square) to identify townships. BASE/ PARALER LINE is designate LINE for identify township. To create grid system, the surveys established: - RANGE LINES (north/south) , parallel to PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN every 6 miles apart The 6 mile wide strip (north/south)of land between two vertical range lines is the RANGE. Each range is numbered beginning at the principal meridian PM. The first vertical (not/south) strip of land east is R1E -TOWNSHIP LINES (est / west), horizontal to the BASE LINE, every 6 miles apart on eater side os BL Each of the 6 mile wide horizontal strips of land on either side of the base line is called TOWNSHIP TIER. The first horizontal strip of land north of the base line is Township 1 North. T1N -RANGE: is called north-south area BETWEEN consecutive meridians. All ranges are 6 MILES WIDE. -TIER: is called east-west area between two parallels. also called "TOWNSHIP STRIP". All tiers are 6 MILES WIDE. Affected lans is surveyed using: LONGITUDE (NS) and LATITUDE (E-W) Objective: Create uniform gris of SQUARES = called TOWNSHIPS, they have equal size and given NUMERICAL reference for identification.
Determine the acreage within a section, calculate the number by multiplying the denominators (lower number) of the fractions in a legal description and divide that number into 640 acres in a section of land. E 1/2 of the NW1/4 of the NE 1/4 of the SW1/4 of Sec. 36 is how many acres in section
Solution is 2x4x4x4 = 128 640/128 = 5 acresAn alternate method is to take the total acres in a section (640) and multiply it by ½ (or .5), then by ¼ (or .25), then ¼ (.25) then by ¼ (.25) Solution: 640 x .5 = 320 X .25 =80 x .25 = 20 x.25 = 5 acres
Which of the following would NEVER be included as part of a legal description.
Street address
How many acres of land are there in the S 1/2 of the N 1/2 of the SW 1/4? 10 acres 20 acres 40 acres 160 acres
Take 2x2x4=16. Divide 640 by 16= 40 acres.
TOWNSHIP
The grid pattern is formed by the crossing (or intersection) of RANGE Lines and TOWNSHIP lines producing a series of squares, 6 miles by 6 miles = 36 square miles and is identified by the strip of townships or the township tier and the range in which it is located NOTE township has two meaning: in addition to and (east/west) strip of land on either side of the base line the term also refers to the actual square itself that is formed by the intersection of two "range" lines and two "township" lines. is the area enclosed by the intersection of two consecutive meridians and two consecutive parallels. """Since Parallels and Meridians ale 6 miles apart, township = 36 miles square, divide in 36 sections. Each section 1square mile = 640 acres = 43560 square feet""" Within these sections are also corrections for the earth's shape. Townships are numbered north and south with township 1 north and township 1 south located immediately above and below the baseline and number consecutively north and south. Within the joining of a township and range line, a Township is formed by the forming of a N/S E/W tier.
METERS AND BOUNDS
The metes and bounds system is the oldest of all the measuring systems used in the United States. It relies on monuments and point of beginning. It includes compass readings in degrees, minutes and seconds. Surveyors use specific equipment to measure the direction and angles. A surveyor begins at a starting point called the point of beginning (POB). The measurements are done in a 360° reading of the compass with north being both 0° and 360°. The survey ends at the place it started- the Point of Beginning or POB. - METERS refers to distance and direction - BOUNDS to fixed objects, "Monuments and Landmark" are used to establish this point of beginning. These are physical things such as the Old Dutch Mill, the Stone Fence, the stately old pine, are considered the least reliable part of the measurement since monuments sometimes disappear over time. The word THENCE is used to indicate a change in direction.Compass directions are used to describe the direction of boundary lines using a circle (360 degrees).
Plat of survey
The surveyor incorporates the survey data ito a PLAT OF SURVEY, or "subdivision plat map"
RECTANGULA GOVERMETN SOURVEY RGS
The system is arranged in a series of grids with lines going north and south and other lines going east and west. - Principal MERIDIANs : longitudinal lines run North and South - BASE line/ PARALER lines: latitudinal lines run East and West There are 36 principal meridians in the single national survey. To correct for the curvature of the earth, guide meridians are drawn EVERY 24 miles east and west of the principal meridians and offset the principal meridian by 50 feet m/l. Correction lines running east and west are located every 24 miles north and south more or less of the base line. Each 24x24 square created by these guide meridians and correction lines is called a CHECK.
Assessor's Parcel Number
To aid in the assessment of property for TAX COLLECTION, each piece (parcel) of land is given a Parcel Number. The tax maps indicating these parcel numbers are based on the recorded plat maps as well as other land recorded in the county. Every property has a parcel number. Associated with it is the owner's name and address of record. In addition to the parcel number, the assessed value of the land and structures are also recorded so that the county will know how much land accompanies each parcel. This determines the amount of tax money available to each taxing entity.
DESCRIBING ELEVATION
To describe property located above or bellow the earth surface, such as the air right of condominium, a surveyors must know the property'r elevation. Standard elevation reference points are calle DATUMS, have been established throughout country. If datum for an area is a point 1000 feet about sea level all surveys in the area will indicate elevation as a distance able or bellow 100 feet above sea level. To speed up the surveying process, surveyors use a short cut known as a BENCH MARKS. The bench mark is a permanent brass plate, placed in the ground and it notates the feet above sea level at that location. The surveyor can then start at the bench mark in order to determine elevation (feet above sea level.)
SECTION of Township
Township is divide in 36 squares called sections. Section: square that is 1 mile on each side = 1 square miles = 640 acres Each section is numbers starting with Section 1 in NE corner, proceeding to WEST across top, continuing from WEST to EAST across, and so on, ending with section 36 in SE corner.
The use of "and" in calculating acreage
When calculating total acreage, more than one portion of a section may be used. i.e. the NW ¼ of the SW ¼ of the NE ¼ and the NW ¼ of the NW ¼ of the SW ½ of section ____, Township ___ Range ___ This requires an extra step as the term "AND" refers to the addition of another area and makes a large difference in finding your total acreage. So. . . 4 X 4 X 4 =64; 640/64 = 10 acres and 4 X 4 X 2 = 32; 640/32 = 20 acres 10 + 20 = 30 acres
Legal description of RE
accurately locates and identifies the boundaries of the subject parcel to a degree acceptable by courts of law in the state where the property is located. Identifies the property as unique and distinct form all other properties.
Fraction example legal descriptions
you want buy a 2 1//2 acre lot in Section 36. Legal description SW 1/4 of the NE 1/4 of the SE1/4 of NW 1/4 of section 36. Start reading at the back part of the legal description near Section 36. This is the NW 1/4. Locate this on the drawing. Now divide the SE 1/4 into 4 parts so you are in the NE 1/4 of the SW 1/4. Now find the NE 1/4 of that corner. Then find the SW 1/4 of that piece and you find the spot.