Construction & Contractors Blog
Most people assuming that when they own a piece of land, they have the exclusive right to decide how the land will be used. While this is true to an extent, there are some circumstances that will allow others to access and use your property.
The most common of these circumstances is an easement. You need to fully understand what an easement does and how it pertains to your property so that you can avoid potential legal troubles in the future.
1. Easements Limit Outsider Use
Just because a person has the right to access your property as a result of an easement doesn't mean that the individual can do whatever he or she wants. Easements are designed to grant the ability to use, cross, or otherwise access a piece of property without assuming ownership. A great example would be a homeowner whose property isn't located near a main road. The homeowner may have to cross his or her neighbor's property lines in order to access his or her parcel. This is a right of way easement, and they are fairly common in many rural areas.
2. Easements Can Limit Your Use
Some easements can dictate how you utilize your own property. Utility companies are often granted easements to install cables and lines across your land. You will be unable to remove these cables and lines if you decide you want to build where they have been installed. Preservation easements are common for properties located in historic districts. These unique easements limit the types of structural changes you can make to your home, and they may even prohibit certain paint colors from being used on the property. Be sure that you understand any limitations you will face when dealing with the easements that pertain to your property.
3. Easements Can be Permanent
Before you grant an easement to a neighbor, you need to understand that the easement could be permanent. There are two primary types of easements: an easement in gross and an easement appurtenant. An easement in gross is granted to a specific individual or company (like a utility easement). An easement appurtenant is tied to the property title and must be honored after you sell the land. This means that an easement appurtenant can have a significant effect on the value of your property.
Carefully weigh the benefits of an easement and be sure to have a reputable land surveyor establish the easement to prevent future confusion. To learn more, check out a website like http://www.communitysciences.com.
Share25 June 2019
My name is Debbie Greenberg. I’m a single woman who owns her home, and like most homeowners I dread home repairs. I’m not very handy with do-it-yourself projects around the house. I can do a few minor repairs when necessary, but for the most part I have to call in a professional. Last year I had a leak in my roof. When it rained, water would leak into my kitchen. What appeared to be a simple fix turned out to be anything but simple. It took over four months to finally identify the problem, and double the money I was initially quoted to fix it. The problem ended up being that the flat part of my roof didn't have shingles, but a sheeting material. I learned a bit about home roofs along the way, and that is what I want to share with you.
