How to Find Legal Description of Property: 7 Steps

If you’re looking to buy a home, it’s important to know how to find legal description of property for several reasons. First, you wan to make sure you know exactly are and are not getting with the property. That alone is reason enough to take the time to look it up! But another reason–just as important–is to make sure the seller is selling what he or she should be. Nothing more, nothing less.

Usually, you can find this legal description attached to the property deed. Unfortunately, most sellers don’t keep copies on hand to show to serious home buyers. They may not even know how to find it themselves!

But that’s not a problem for you. At least, it won’t be after you read these seven simple steps on how to find legal description of property that is up for sale.

1. First, Look for the Deed–But How?

You should always start your search for the legal description by looking for the deed. Most (but not all) deeds have the legal description either as part of the deed, or as an attachment or appendix with it.

Where can you find this deed? That will vary from county to county. Most counties have a copy either in the county assessor’s office or the county recorder’s office. Sometimes it’s in both. But since the assessor’s office is the most likely place, that’s where you should call first.

Unless you live just down the street from the assessor’s office, it’s always a good idea to call first. If they don’t keep property deeds in their records, they should be able to tell you which agency does. It’s also possible that they will have the legal description of the home in question, even without the deed.

More and more county assessor and county recorder offices keep public records online–usually in a searchable format. Typically, they will tell you this over the phone. But since these offices are often understaffed, overworked, and run by humans, they may forget to mention that to you! Make a point to ask–you’ll save yourself a lot of time.

2 What Now? How to Find Legal Description of Property Once You Have the Deed.

First, you’ll want to make sure that it does in fact contain the legal description. Most do, but some don’t. How can you tell?

Usually, it will be fairly obvious. You’ll see legal language such as “Legal description follows,” or  something similar. The legal description of the property may be indented and often appears on the second or third page.

The legal description may also appear as an attachment or appendix to the deed. In that case, the description will be mentioned in the deed, followed by the words, “See Appendix A” or something similar.

Most of the time, you’ll have to pay a small fee to have the deed copied or mailed to you.

3. This Legal Description is Weird. How do I Decipher It?

The hard answer is that you will have to learn a few surveying terms, then get a surveyor’s map of your city–and most likely the property’s immediate area as well. Then you can painstakingly look over the maps. You can keep your notes right next to you to refer back to.

But you don’t have to do that.

The easy answer is that you don’t have to worry about it. Your real estate agent or attorney will know what do to with it. (If you don’t have an agent, you should hire an attorney who knows real estate to help you close on the house.)

The main purpose of the legal description, at least for you the buyer, is to make absolutely 100% certain that you know exactly what you are buying, and that this knowledge matches up with what the seller is telling you. You can take care of this if you want to, but you don’t have to.

In other words, it’s absolutely necessary to know how to find legal description of property you want to buy. But you don’t have to worry about learning how to read it!

4. What if the Legal Description Isn’t on the Deed?

Occasionally, it won’t be! It’s still findable, though. The best place to check next is with the title company who was involved in the closing. Any agents, attorneys, or officials involved in the previous sale can be contacted, if for some reason the title company isn’t immediately available.

5. No, Really, This Legal Description is Weird. What Gives?

It has to do with the way cities (and pieces of land in general) are measured by surveyors. The most common type of legal description is called a “metes and bounds” description. This description starts with the property’s location on the city grid map, in addition to or in place of the latitude and longitude of the property. The property’s boundaries may be described in terms of feet, degrees, relationship to the city grid, landmarks, and more.

A metes and bounds description is the one you’re most likely to run into–and also the most confusing to read.

The other common legal description is called a subdivision description. These typically list the name of the subdivision, the number of the plot, and the size of the plot. It may list more information as well.

There are other types of legal descriptions that describe the property in various ways. If you have any doubts about it, don’t hesitate to talk to your agent or attorney.

6. What if I Can’t Find a Deed or Legal Description in Any of These Places?

If you’re still having problems, there is a problem with one of the agencies you’re talking to. Local government agencies or officials can be difficult or just flat-out clueless at times. A title company should always be able to provide you with the legal description of any property for which it wrote the title. If it won’t, something is wrong. Talk to your agent or attorney about this. If you don’t have one, get one ASAP.

7. How Can I Keep from Going Nuts When These Officials are Difficult and The Deed Doesn’t Make Any Sense?

There are many reasons to have a real estate agent working on your behalf. Avoiding the frustration of how to find the legal description of property is a very good reason! If you don’t get an agent, you will likely need an attorney to insure your legal safety when you close on the house.

One of the many great things about having a real estate agent to help you buy a hose, though, is the fact that you don’t have to pay them! A real estate agent’s commission always comes from the seller–not the buyer. That’s just one more good reason to make your life easier with an experienced real estate agent!

2 Point Highlight

It’s often easy to find a legal description because it’s a part of the deed.

A real estate agent can help you with how to find legal description of a property–at no charge to you.