Activity 4.1.
3 Property Description
Introduction
A legal description of property is used to identify real estate in a legal transaction
and can be found in a deed, mortgage, plat, or other purchase document. These
documents may be obtained from a county recorder, tax assessor, or similar official.
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In recent years, many municipalities have begun to provide public access to these
legal documents online.
Land patents are the legal documents that transfer land ownership from the U.S.
Government to individuals.
In this activity you will search for legal descriptions on the Internet, interpret a legal
description, and sketch a plat.
Equipment
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Computer with Internet access and 3D software
Protractor
Engineers scale or ruler
Engineering notebook
Pencil
Procedure
Rectangular Survey System
Find a legal description and sketch a plat for a property described using the
rectangular survey system.
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1. Visit the Bureau of Land Management General Land Office (BLM/GLO)
Records website at http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/ and Search Documents.
1. Search Patents. Select a state (only states that use the rectangular survey
system will return results). You may want to try your own last name people
interested in researching family history often use this site to research ancestors.
John Smith return results in many states. Note that you can use the percent sign
% as a wildcard. So John% will return John, Johnson, Johnathan, etc. Keep
trying different states/names until you obtain some search results. View a few of
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the land patent images that result from the search. Find a land patent that
provides a good example of a legal description using the rectangular survey
system. Print a copy of the patent image.
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2. View and print a copy of the corresponding Patent Details page.
3. Access and print the Principal Meridian and Baseline Map available
from Reference Center within the Bureau of Land Management website. Locate
and highlight the Principal Meridian on which the legal description is based.
4. Create a series of sketches (similar to those shown in the Legal
Descriptions presentation) to indicate the location of the property described in the
land patent..
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5. Perform a calculation to verify the area of the parcel.
6. (Optional) Search the BLM/GLO website for a survey that corresponds to
the property described in the patent you selected. Use the Search Documents
feature; select Search Documents by Type; and then choose Surveys. Use the
information provided on the patent land legal description to search for a plat of
the property. If available, print the plat and highlight the property described in the
land patent.
Metes and Bounds
Research the Palmetto Property for the final commercial project.
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1. The following is a metes and bounds description of the Palmetto Property.
Use a protractor and an engineers scale or ruler to sketch the property lines on
graph paper. Use a scale of 1 inch = 200 feet.
From the point of beginning (POB) on Bee Hive Road, N 48 03 29 E a distance of
440.55', thence N37 24 11 W a distance of 344.57, thence N45 44 30 E a
distance of 496.45, thence N37 27 44 W a distance of 346.24, thence S48 47
04 W a distance of 165.00, thence N37 27 44 W a distance of 300.00, thence S
48 47 04 W a distance of 619.67, thence S36 00 00 E a distance of 372.76,
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thence S51 59 11 W a distance of 149.76, thence S38 18 30 E a distance of
658.60 back to the POB.
2. Access the Charleston County South Carolina GIS map system at
www.charlestoncounty.org. Then choose the Online Services tab and click on
Current Parcel Data/GIS Maps.
3. Search for the Palmetto Property by parcel number. The Palmetto
Property parcel number is 614 00 00 124. The system should respond with a
map highlighting the property. Print this map or save a screen shot of this map
with the property highlighted. [You may explore the map display features by
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selecting the Table of contents icon and then turning on various layers.] Record
the following data:
Current Owner
GLOVER BENNIE LEE
Parcel ID
6140000124
Legal Description
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General Use
undeveloped
Plat Book
Deed Book
Total Acres
Sale Date
Personal Residential site. Majority of property is
See Resources for 4.1.1
See Resources for 4.1.1
15.47 acres
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Sale Price
10-24-86
$4533
4. Research adjacent properties. Provide the following information for each
adjacent property. You may divide the adjacent property research among your
design team members.
Parcel Number
6140000125
6140000126
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Address
6140000123
6140000140
6140000110
6140000122
6140000107
6140000108
6140000109
1096 & 1098 State Road S-10-856
3991 & 3997 US-17
1078 Theodore Rd.
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Owner
Class Code
HILLIARD ALETHIA
Young Charlotte
Pool Frankie James
Campbell Michael A.
Martin Terestine F.
101 - RESID-SFR
Vac-Com-Lot
905 - VAC-RES-LOT
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5. Research the plat for the Palmetto Property on the Charleston County
website. Choose the Online Services tab and click on RMC Document
Search. Hover over the Plats tab and choose Book Page. Using the information
you recorded above, find and print the correct plat. Make sure you use the
correct number of leading zeros when inputting the page number.
See 4.1.1 Resources
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6. Using the information you recorded above, research the deed for the
Palmetto Property on the Charleston County website.
See 4.1.1 Resources
7. Research past owners of the property on the Charleston County website.
Choose the Online Services tab and click on View property record cards. Then
search for the record card for the property. Print a copy of all pages of the
property record card. What previous owner(s) are named? Be sure to check all
pages of the record.
Charles Brown
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Charles Brown Estate
Bernie Lee Glover
Conclusion
Using the information gathered and additional research, answer the following
questions about your team project.
1. Why is it important for the complete legal description to be recorded with
the local courts?
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2. What is the area of the property in acres? In square feet? In square miles?
3. What does the term metes and bounds mean? Where did it originate?
How are boundaries established for the perimeters of a property?
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4. Would it ever be useful to combine a rectangular survey description with a
metes and bounds description? When would this be beneficial?
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5. Based on the information obtained, would you be comfortable with
proceeding with a purchase of the Palmetto Property for a commercial
development? Would more research be in order? Why or why not?
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6. Does your local community provide online access to deeds, mortgages,
liens, and plats? If so, document the steps necessary to access a deed and plat.
If not, where can legal documents associated with land transfer be reviewed?
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