Metes & bounds surveys
. . . finding your way!

Finding your way on mountain properties can be a real challenge - using a metes & bounds survey. Descriptions often begin at "an old pine stump" and continue "with the center of the branch 116 poles to an old iron".

Often called "leaps & bounds", old metes & bounds surveys can be complex, confusing, and sometimes downright mysterious. From a beginning point, a surveyor follows a series of distances and directions until arriving back at the point of beginning.

A sample description might read: "Beginning at an old pine stump, corner with Jeb Boone, then travelling north 10º east with the center of Fall Creek 130 poles, thence north 100º east 100 poles to a pile of rocks, thence South 10º west 130 poles to a buggy axle, thence South 100º west 100 poles to the point of beginning, containing approximately 81.25 acres, more or less."

Many mountain tracts were surveyed on foot by previous owners - years ago. Errors are common, creating overlapping boundaries and ownership disputes. These boundary errors are easily remedied by adjoining landowners willing to sign a "boundary line agreement" to establish a permanent line between their properties.

The best assurance of ownership for future buyers may be a current survey, marked boundaries and title insurance. It is far better to establish property lines accurately before closing a land purchase, than trying to remedy the legal description in a deed after it has been recorded.