Real Estate Appraisal Practice Exam

Which of the following is an example of a metes and bounds description?

1. "Beginning at the iron pin 30 paces from the center of the brook."

2. "Lot number 5 in the Harry's Subdivision."

3. "The plot located at 123 Main Street."

4. "A rectangular parcel measuring 200 x 300 feet."

The correct answer is: "Beginning at the iron pin 30 paces from the center of the brook."

Metes and bounds is a specific method of describing land by outlining its boundaries using physical features of the geography and measurements. The description provided indicates the starting point ("Beginning at the iron pin") and gives a directional measurement ("30 paces from the center of the brook"), which together outline the shape and dimensions of a particular parcel of land. This technique is often used in areas where land is not laid out in a strict grid format and requires a more descriptive and precise method for identifying property lines. The other examples do not follow the metes and bounds method. The second option relates to a subdivision lot number, which is a lot-based description rather than a boundary description. The third option specifies an address but lacks any details regarding the land's physical boundaries or measurements. The fourth option states a rectangular measurement but does not indicate how this translates into physical real-world boundaries, missing the descriptive aspect that characterizes metes and bounds. Thus, the first statement is the only one that accurately reflects a metes and bounds description.