A homesite includes an extra strip too narrow to build on but useful as a buffer. How is that strip best characterized?
Correct Answer
C) Surplus land adding limited value
Why this is correct: Surplus land is land that is not needed to support the existing use but also does not have a separate, independent highest and best use. A narrow buffer strip adds some value (e.g., privacy) but cannot be sold or developed alone. Why the other choices are wrong: 'Excess land with an independent use' is wrong because excess land has a separate HBU. 'An off-site improvement to the parcel' is incorrect; the strip is part of the site. 'A legally nonconforming separate lot' is not applicable; the strip is part of the homesite. Exam tip: Can it be sold off and built on? Yes = Excess. No, but it adds something = Surplus.
Why This Is the Correct Answer
Why this is correct: Surplus land is land that is not needed to support the existing use but also does not have a separate, independent highest and best use. A narrow buffer strip adds some value (e.g., privacy) but cannot be sold or developed alone. Why the other choices are wrong: 'Excess land with an independent use' is wrong because excess land has a separate HBU. 'An off-site improvement to the parcel' is incorrect; the strip is part of the site. 'A legally nonconforming separate lot' is not applicable; the strip is part of the homesite. Exam tip: Can it be sold off and built on? Yes = Excess. No, but it adds something = Surplus.
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