When you’re looking into buying a property, you may come across several unfamiliar terms. One of those words might be an easement. These rights govern the uses of someone else’s property and can have substantial effects on ownership. Often, they are identified through land surveying. Here’s a rundown of everything you need to know about this concept. 

What Is an Easement?

An easement is a legal right to use a piece of property that you don’t own. Offered by the property owner, they are essentially entitlement grants that do not confer ownership. They can include anything from the right to build a fence a few feet past your boundary, granted it would be much more convenient in that location, to the right to drive across someone else’s land. There are two types of common easements. The first, an easement appurtenant, is granted to a fellow property owner and is transferred with the sale of the property. This would include an example like fencing. There’s also an easement in gross which is granted to a particular individual or company rather than a property holder. A classic example would be if a utility company needed access to the land to put up phone lines.  

When Are They Useful?

An easement is useful because it allows a person to use a piece of land without having to buy it. Usually, it’s a way to create a friendly understanding that one property holder can benefit without disrupting the other party. Without an easement, it may not be possible to do construction near your property line since the workers won’t be able to set up on the other side. In some cases, due to where the roads are, you may not be able to drive to the main street unless you cut through your neighbor’s land. In this circumstance, without an easement, you might be stuck. 

From the perspective of a utility company, an area may never receive the benefits of phone lines or electrical connections without easements, since the company wouldn’t be able to afford to buy small parcels of everyone’s land. As a prospective property owner, knowing about an easement is an important part of understanding the property you’re buying. This is why hiring a land surveying company is so integral. The only true way to uncover these terms is through land surveying professionals. The team will dig into old records and identify any easement that exists on your property. They have the necessary tools and resources to find hidden aspects of your land that could prove useful in the easement process. 

If you’re evaluating a piece of property, get in touch with Allied Surveying & Mapping in Lincoln, NE, to help you determine if it has any easements. Serving the community since 1977, the land surveying company will turn up every relevant piece of information about the land, including the exact boundaries of property lines. You can set up a consultation with the surveying team by calling (402) 434-2686. Learn more about the land surveying process by visiting their website.