Legal Descriptions

Legal Descriptions — Florida Real Estate ## Why Legal Descriptions Matter A street address is not a legal description. Deeds, mortgages, and other conveyancing documents must use a legal description that uniquely and precisely identifies the parcel. An ambiguous or incorrect legal description can void a deed or title. Florida uses three methods of legal description, and the exam tests all three. --- ## Method 1: Metes and Bounds The oldest system. Describes property by starting at a Point of Beginning (POB), then measuring the boundaries (metes = distances; bounds = directions) and returning to the POB. Direction format: Bearings reference compass quadrants from North or South. Example: N45°E means starting from North, rotating 45° toward East. Monuments: Natural (trees, boulders) or artificial (iron pins, concrete markers) objects marking corners. When descriptions conflict, physical monuments typically control over measurements. Exam tip: Metes and bounds descriptions are common in older deeds and irregular parcels. Florida uses them frequently along coastlines and irregular land shapes. If the description fails to close (return to POB), it is defective. --- ## Method 2: Rectangular Survey System (Government Survey) Also called the Public Land Survey System (PLSS). Used throughout Florida. Divides land using a grid of principal meridians (north-south lines) and base lines (east-west lines). ### Key Grid Elements | Unit | Size | Notes | |---|---|---| | Township | 6 miles × 6 miles = 36 sq mi | Numbered N or S from base line | | Range | 6 miles wide | Numbered E or W from principal meridian | | Section | 1 mile × 1 mile = 640 acres | Townships divided into 36 sections | | Half section…