How Title Professionals Verify Property Boundaries Before Your Brown County Closing - Nashville Expert Guide
Why That Fence Line Might Not Be Where You Think It Is
You've found the perfect property in Brown County. The wooded acreage looks exactly as described, the driveway placement makes sense, and you've already mentally placed your garden where the current fence line meets the clearing. But here's something most buyers don't realize until it becomes a problem: physical markers on a property—fences, tree lines, even driveways—don't always match the legal boundaries that determine what you're actually buying.
Property boundary verification is one of those behind-the-scenes parts of a real estate transaction that only gets attention when something goes wrong. And in Brown County, with our mix of older parcels, rural acreage, and properties that have changed hands for generations, boundary questions come up more often than you might expect.
How Title Professionals Read Legal Descriptions
Every property has a legal description that defines its exact boundaries. Unlike a street address, which just helps the mail carrier find your house, a legal description is a precise written record of your property's location and dimensions. During the title search process, we examine this description carefully because it's the foundation of everything else we verify.
The Three Types of Legal Descriptions
In Brown County, you'll typically encounter one of three description formats:
- Metes and Bounds: Common in older properties, this method describes boundaries using compass directions, distances, and landmarks. A description might read "beginning at the large oak tree at the northwest corner, thence south 45 degrees east for 200 feet..." These descriptions can reference natural features that may no longer exist, which is why careful review matters.
- Lot and Block: Used in subdivisions, this simpler format references a recorded plat map. Your property might be "Lot 15, Block 3 of Peaceful Valley Subdivision." The plat map shows exact dimensions and is filed with the county.
- Government Survey: This system divides land into townships, ranges, and sections. You might see "the Northeast Quarter of Section 12, Township 9 North, Range 2 East." Each section is one square mile, divided into quarters.
The first step in boundary verification is making sure the legal description in your purchase agreement matches what's recorded in the deed history. Discrepancies here can indicate anything from simple clerical errors to more serious ownership questions.
Comparing Current and Historical Descriptions
We don't just look at the current deed. A thorough title search traces the legal description back through previous owners to verify consistency. Sometimes we discover that a description was shortened or altered in a past transaction, potentially leaving out important details about easements or boundary adjustments.
In Brown County's rural areas especially, we often find properties that were split from larger family farms decades ago. Each division should have been properly surveyed and recorded, but that didn't always happen. We look for any gaps in the chain of descriptions that might indicate unresolved boundary questions.
Resolving Boundary Discrepancies Before Closing
What happens when we discover a boundary issue during the title search? The answer depends on the nature and severity of the problem.
Common Issues and Their Solutions
Fence line disputes: When an existing fence doesn't match the legal boundary, we determine whether adverse possession could be claimed or if a boundary line agreement was ever recorded. Often, getting a survey and having both neighbors acknowledge the true boundary resolves the matter.
Easement conflicts: Unrecorded easements or confusion about easement locations require careful documentation review. We search for recorded easement agreements, examine historical use patterns, and verify what rights actually run with the land.
Access questions: In rural Brown County properties, legal access to public roads is essential. We verify that the property either directly touches a public road or has a recorded easement providing access.
How Title Insurance Protects Your Boundaries
Even with careful verification, boundary disputes can emerge years after closing. Someone might claim that an old survey was wrong, or a neighbor might dispute where the actual property line falls. Title insurance protects you from financial loss if a boundary claim proves valid and affects your ownership.
The policy covers legal fees to defend your ownership and compensates you for any loss in property value if a boundary issue reduces your acreage or affects your use of the land. This protection continues as long as you own the property.
Working with Your Title Company on Boundary Questions
Clear communication about boundaries starts early in the transaction. If you have specific concerns about property lines—maybe you want to build a fence, or you've noticed markers that don't seem to match the plat—raise these questions when you open escrow.
We can often address boundary concerns proactively by ordering a new survey, researching recorded boundary agreements, or clarifying what existing documents show. Waiting until a few days before closing to raise boundary questions can delay your transaction or leave issues unresolved.
For properties with complex boundary histories or where you plan improvements near property lines, investing in a new survey provides peace of mind and creates a clear record for future owners. We can recommend qualified surveyors familiar with Brown County's terrain and recording requirements.
The legal description that defines your property boundaries is more than technical language in your deed—it's the precise definition of what you're buying. Through careful review of those descriptions, examination of survey documents, and resolution of any discrepancies we discover, title professionals ensure that the property boundaries you expect are the boundaries you actually receive. When you understand what goes into boundary verification, you can make informed decisions about surveys and address potential concerns before they become closing-day surprises.
About Brown County Title
We're a trusted title company in Brown County, Indiana specializing in residential and commercial closings. Known for deep local knowledge, fast turnarounds, and clear communication, we protect property transfers with expertise and personal service.
Visit our website: https://browncountytitleco.com