This doctrine holds that when adjoining landowners, by mistake or compromise, have established a mutually respected boundary (differing from that in their deeds) over a 21-year period, that established boundary becomes the new property line.
Building a fence directly on a property line requires mutual agreement with the neighboring property owner. Without consent, you may have to adjust the placement, which could lead to legal disputes.
The front setback is commonly 10 feet, the sides four feet, and the back setback is 10 feet. The distance may also differ ing to the building type. It is imperative to determine the property line of your property before you put up any structures on it.
An encroachment is a situation where a building, structure, or something else goes beyond the boundary of the owner's land onto a neighbor's property. It is a form of trespass. An exploration of adverse possession and prescriptive easements is outside the scope of this guide.
How can I determine my property line? Your deed will have a legal description of the boundary of your property, but you need a surveyor to use this information to locate the property lines and place markers on the land.
A licensed and insured land surveyor can assist with locating property lines. General dimensions for a property are found on a property's site plan or survey documents.
Here are the most common ways to find them: Check Google Maps. This one is the quickest and easiest way to establish where your property lines are. Hire a surveyor. Check online property records. Look for physical markers on your property. Check your property deed. Check a plat map. Review your property survey.
Hire a licensed land surveyor The most accurate way to know where your land begins and ends is to hire a surveyor to determine your property lines. The property surveyor will first check county records to understand the history of the lot.