Real Estate Appraisal Practice Exam

What are the three most common forms of legal descriptions?

1. Deeds, titles, and surveys

2. Metes and bounds, lot and block, and rectangular government survey

3. Land use, zoning, and plans

4. Property boundaries, easements, and rights-of-way

The correct answer is: Metes and bounds, lot and block, and rectangular government survey

The three most common forms of legal descriptions are metes and bounds, lot and block, and rectangular government survey. This framework provides precise methodologies for delineating property locations and boundaries in land transactions. Metes and bounds is an ancient method that relies on natural landmarks and specific measurements to describe a parcel of land, providing a flexible and accurate means of defining property lines. Lot and block, on the other hand, uses a plat map to identify lots within a subdivision, making it particularly useful in urban planning and real estate developments. The rectangular government survey, established by the Public Land Survey System, divides land into a grid of townships and ranges, allowing for systematic land management and efficient referencing in legal contexts. These methods are preferred due to their clarity and precision in legal contexts, ensuring that property boundaries are unambiguous and legally defensible. Other options such as deeds, titles, and surveys, while important in the realm of property transactions, do not specifically identify types of legal descriptions. Similarly, land use, zoning, and plans relate more to how land can be developed or utilized rather than legally defining property boundaries. Lastly, property boundaries, easements, and rights-of-way address aspects of property use and access rather than serving as distinct methods for legally