DIGGING INTO PROPERTY EASEMENTS—ANYONE ELSE FIND ONLINE TOOLS CONFUSING?
Had to laugh reading this because I remember sitting at my kitchen table, zooming in on grainy PDFs and trying to guess if the weird squiggle on my plat map was a creek or someone’s coffee stain. Honestly, I ended up driving around the neighborhood just to see where things actually were. The digital stuff is helpful... until it isn’t.
Honestly, I ended up driving around the neighborhood just to see where things actually were. The digital stuff is helpful... until it isn’t.
Totally get this. I’ve spent hours toggling between county GIS, plat maps, and Google Earth, then realized I was still missing a utility easement because it just wasn’t marked anywhere. Here’s what’s worked for me:
- Double-check the legend—sometimes those “coffee stains” are legit features.
- Cross-reference with tax assessor records (not always up-to-date, but sometimes clearer).
- If you’re on a budget like me, walking the property with a printout in hand helps connect the dots.
Digital tools are supposed to make it easier, but half the time I end up with more questions than answers...
