Chapter 2 · Real estate
Legal descriptions
Townships, sections and reading a description right to left
A legal description identifies a parcel precisely enough to find it on the ground. The exam covers three systems: metes and bounds, which walks the boundary from a point of beginning; lot and block, which points to a recorded plat; and the rectangular survey, which is this chapter.
The rectangular (government) survey lays a grid over 30 states, most of them west of the original colonies. The original thirteen, and states such as Texas, Kentucky and Tennessee, rely mainly on metes and bounds instead. North–south principal meridians and east–west base lines anchor it; townships are counted north or south of the base line and ranges east or west of the meridian, so "T2N, R3W" is the second township north and third range west.
2.1 · The township
Six miles square, 36 sections
A township is 6 miles on a side, 36 square miles, divided into 36 sections of one square mile each. Section 1 is in the northeast corner; numbering runs west along the top row, drops down, runs back east, and snakes on to section 36 in the southeast corner.
Why: Running back and forth keeps consecutive numbers next to each other, so section 7 is directly below section 6.
Section 16, near the middle, was historically set aside for schools.
Any section's neighbours follow from the snake: section 6 (northwest corner) sits above 7, which sits above 18.
Watch out: Section 1 is the northeast corner, not the northwest. Starting the count on the wrong side mirrors every answer.
2.2 · The section
One square mile is 640 acres
A section is one mile by one mile, 640 acres. Each quarter section is 160 acres, each quarter of a quarter 40 acres.
1 acre = 43,560 sq ft · 1 mile = 5,280 ft
Why: 5,280 ft × 5,280 ft = 27,878,400 sq ft, and 27,878,400 ÷ 43,560 = 640.
The northeast quarter, "NE ¼", is 640 ÷ 4 = 160 acres. The north half, "N ½", is 320 acres.
Watch out: Directions inside a section are about position, not size: the NE ¼ and the SW ¼ are both 160 acres.
2.3 · Reading a description
Start at the end and work back
Read an aliquot description from right to left. The last part names the biggest piece; each part before it takes a fraction of what came after.
acres = 640 × each fraction
Why: The words "of the" nest each piece inside the next: the NW ¼ of the SE ¼ is a piece of the SE ¼.
NW ¼ of the SE ¼: start with the SE ¼ (160 acres), then take its northwest quarter.
640 ÷ 4 ÷ 4 = 40 acres.
Watch out: Reading left to right finds the wrong parcel: the NW ¼ first would put it in the opposite corner of the section.
2.4 · Halves and deeper cuts
A half divides by two, a quarter by four
Halves (N ½, S ½, E ½, W ½) and quarters can be mixed at any level. Multiply 640 by ½ for each half and ¼ for each quarter.
S ½ of the NE ¼ of the SW ¼: the SW ¼ is 160 acres, its NE ¼ is 40, and the south half of that is 20 acres.
In square feet: 20 × 43,560 = 871,200 sq ft.
Watch out: The more parts a description has, the smaller the parcel. A long description is never a big one.
2.5 · One section, on the ground
Find it, cut it, size it
Every rectangular-survey question is the same few moves: find the section by its number, read the description from right to left, cut the section one part at a time, and divide 640 by 4 for each quarter and by 2 for each half.
Why: A description is directions on the ground: each part narrows the search until one parcel is left to walk.
Work a new description below: find Section 22 in its township, cut it down to the E ½ of the SW ¼ of the NE ¼, work its acres, and then find a neighbor's parcel whose description uses the same words in the other order.
Watch out: The section and the descriptions below are new ones, not the ones worked in the sections above, so read each part rather than recalling an answer.
A farm buyer hands you a deed: "the E ½ of the SW ¼ of the NE ¼ of Section 22." Find the section in its township, cut it down to the parcel, size it, and then find the neighbor's land.
1 / 5 Find the section
The deed: the E ½ of the SW ¼ of the NE ¼ of Section 22
This is one township: 6 miles on a side, 36 sections of one square mile. North is at the top. The numbers are not marked on the ground.
Which square is Section 22?
Practice · Set 1
Each question sets the figure to its own numbers
In a standard township, which section is directly south of section 6?
Practice · Set 2
Each question sets the figure to its own numbers
How many acres are in the N ½ of the SE ¼ of the NW ¼ of a section?
Practice · Exam style
Each question sets the figure to its own numbers
In a standard township, which section is in the southwest corner?
- Section · 640 acres